REMEMBER IN THE WIZARD OF OZ when the Tin Man was all rusty and creaky? Then Dorothy squirted him with the oil can and he started moving, smiling and, finally, dancing.
Tiger Woods was the Tin Man today, all rusty and gimpy. Not doing a whole lot, just sort of there.
Then, faster than Dorothy could click her heels, the rust vanished. This “Tin Man” was draining 20-foot birdies like they were $3 gas. Tiger shot an astonishing 30 on his second nine for a round of 68.
The Tin Man with the creaky left knee is just one shot off the 36-hole lead. Heeeeee’s back.
Lastly, inspired by The Wizard of Oz and dedicated to Phil Mickelson, I leave you with this:
(To the tune of “If I Only Had a Heart”)
I would not be just a nothin’ my head all full of stuffin’
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry,
If I only hit a fairway.
−The Armchair Golfer
There is more apparent difference in ability between Tiger and Mickelson than between Mickelson and the 200th ranked player in the world. Having said that, even Tiger cannot beat golf, so he may not win. He will, I think, come as close to beating it as anyone who has ever lived. In short, I like his chances.
You have to like Tiger’s chances. He’s right in the thick of things now. But there’s still 36 holes to go. If Tiger keeps hitting most of the fairways and putts normal for him, he probably wins. If you’re a Tiger rooter, you have to hope the knee holds up and doesn’t adversely affect his tee shots and long game.
I’ve never been a huge Tiger fan, but I have to say after watching the last 45 minutes of coverage that he is several levels above everybody else.
MIB would definitely be keeping track of him.