Butch Harmon: Phil Mickelson will overtake Tiger for No.1
"Tiger's got a big lead as No. 1 in the world, so it'll take a couple of years, but I think he can and I think he will actually (catch Woods)," said Harmon, "He's going to have to really work hard and change a lot more things, but he's willing to do that and wants to do it. He has the desire to try and rival Tiger."
"I would say they're very similar to be honest with you. Both have a tremendous amount of natural talent. They both have unbelievable short games. I think Tiger may be a little better putter under pressure, but Phil's short game around the green is a little bit better than Tiger's. In general, they're similar." (More)
14 Comments:
I wonder why Harmon is blowing all this smoke up Phil's a**. Actually, blowing it up our rectums. For Phil to take that number one ranking his game would have to...... become otherworldly....transend Shivas Irons' unique perspective of the game.....quit screwing up.....play great for two years after TW croaked. Somebody, someday is going to take over #1 but it's going to be the result of a combination of Woods fading and that person challenging solidly for a couple of years. I think primetime for Miclekson is past.
Harmon can't help himself. He's got a big mouth. And I think he's still smarting from being dumped by Tiger.
This is as much about Butch as it is Phil. Butch would like nothing better than to be THE ONE who got Tiger to No. 1, then after being dismissed, dethroned Tiger by bringing Phil to No. 1. Butch would then have his reputation established as the greatest teacher ever and the ultimate king maker.
It is not impossible, but Phil would probably have to win 4 of the next 6 majors and 5 tourneys a year while Tiger suffers through a new parent jinx of some sort. Who's to say it won't happen. Check back some time in 2009.
While Tiger fans would not like it, it would be good for the game and golf fans everywhere.
Objectively what Harmon says does not make sense.
•He reckons Phil is as extremely talented as Tiger. On the same vein, he expects Tiger at age 31 to be static in the improvement and evolution of his game, yet Phil at 37 to be on an unstoppable trajectory, simply due to Butch being the coach. This smirks of great vanity. It is like in his mind he is the maker of champion’s. I can now understand why Greg and Tiger had to fire him! I would have heard no problem with his hulaballo, if Phil had actually dominated and registered results. One tournament win and suddenly he is on route to supplanting Tiger Woods sounds ridiculous to me!
•Even if Phil may have as much golf talent as Tiger, winning is more than talent and hard work, it is about mental strength, will to win in extreme adversity, resilience, ruthlessness, wisdom and a champion’s heart and this is not something that you can hire. It is also about consistency through the season and a willingness to dominate other pros over and above aiming for Tiger’s tail. In the Tiger era, it probably is also about deeply ingrained rather than quick fix fitness and a dedication to the game at the level of Vijay. Does Phil have all the above, I am sceptical and even if he acquired that at age 37, it would simply mean that he would share majors with Tiger on a 50:50 basis and that would still leave the gap intact. Tiger would definitely respond, with an intensity and besides Tiger also has plenty improvement potential, his driving is erratic and when the swing changes of the much maligned Hank become embedded, it will be much more fundamental than some quick fix, magical swing. Harmon is doing Tiger a big, big favour with all his talk. As a Tiger fan, before the masters, my biggest concern was that he was being lulled into complacency or what Faldo called a comfort zone. I can hardly thank Harmon enough, for doing his best to reawaken the Tiger, we will truly know whether he is the greatest player of the game. I really hope that a credible threat is posed and we see how he responds.
Tiger is a global, transcendent player, universal child, icon , role model, genius and en route to being the greatest player of the game. PM, though talented, and the hype around him is a white America media by product, why would PM being no 1 be better for the game of golf than TW being no.1. At worst, golf will be relegated back to the equivalent of snooker, rather than being the bearer of the world’s most recognisable athlete. I am pretty sure that this discussion will not be in place by 2008/9 and all the doubters will have backtracked.
I see a rivalry good for golf and it's fans, not one golfer dominating. Those of you who see Tiger as "a global, transcendent player, universal child, icon , role model, genius and en route to being the greatest player of the game" or in other words
God
will not doubt differ.
I would say he is already the greatest player of the game...for now...right now.
What will define him as a rival to Jack would be adversaries that could rival Jacks.
I don't think that because 11:15 quit snooker and now yells you da man it has made golf a better game.
We need the PGA Tour, not the Tiger Tour, as Tom Watson said. After all, the commercial says "These Guys are Good" not just Tiger.
"What will define him as a rival to Jack would be adversaries that could rival Jacks."
How do Phil and Vijay not rank as worthy adversaries to Woods?
Both of these men have more Tour wins than Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Lanny Wadkins, Hale Irwin, Greg Norman, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Davis Love III, Nick Price...shall I go on?
Do some research before you make short-sighted comments.
Until Tiger fixes his putting, his days as the number one are limited. If phil does overtake tiger I have feeling it's going to be more Tiger slipping than Phil surging.
There is hype around Mickelson because of his talent and the style in which he plays the game and his fan interaction, not that he is a "white American media by-product". Tiger is possibly the greatest player of all time and has attracted many people across the world to the game but that is not to say that someone challenging him will reverse all that. In my opinion it will further improve the attraction of the game to see the greatest get challenged.
what people dont realize is that tiger's swing isnt what makes him good, he can reproduce his swing better than anyone else, he has kicked ass with three different swings, he switched to hank haney and went on a similar streak that was better than the one in 2000, let's not forget also with this swing won the british open hitting irons off the fucking tee, tiger's total domination comes and goes, but he is never that far off, tiger is the only fucker who starts 3 shots back of vijay, gets two eagles on the front nine to take the lead, and then win by two, nobody else does that kind of shit, let us all enjoy watching mickelson fuck up, and talk shit on his way down
what i find most interesting about butch's comment is that he now - after phil produces 1 win - has seemed to have relegated adam scott to secondary client status - wasn't it just a few weeks ago that he made the statement that scott was his top priority?
the man is an ego maniacal, disingenuous asshole - my prediction is that adam scott will dump butch (don't forget he listens to greg norman who is a mentor and close advisor). and who knows, scott could in fact be a legitimate challanger to tiger - where will that leave butch and phil? - in the bar of a casino in vegas, two fat guys bitching about what could have been - they deserve each other.
Don't hack the man( Harmon)down! He is entitled to feel a bit hurt after 10 years. And I do happen to think that Phil is very talented but of Tiger's class?? That is debatable.
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