Can you be too good? Are America better without Tiger?

[Denn Forever]

By all accounts, the american team played very well at the weekend.  Some commentators were suggesting that the american team as a whole were better without Tiger Woods as they were less afraid.  It was 9 years since they won the rider cup and is that not about the same time that Tiger has been on the scene?

Does this opinion hold any water?

[corn02]

It certainly does. Woods, and to a slighlt lesser extent Mickeslon, have never held the tournament in the highest regard. I said before the tournament on the Ryder Cup thread that it will come down to Mickeslosn. Him and Wods are not best of buddies so without his shadow he flowered and was one of their key players, yesterday's collapse apart.

Woods' record in the Cup is a bit like Harringtons and I believe the significance and appeal may wear a bit if the players mentioned are amongst the favourites for the majors, as POD is now.

No player goes out to play bad, but often it can be external factors like mood and concentration levels and it was high in America this week.

[ExiledGael]

Think it has a lot to do with the single minded mentality the majority of top sports stars have these days.
It can't really be said Mickelson was outstanding in the absence of Tiger either. The real winners nowadays seem to thrive in situations where they are in it for themselves and completely in control of their own fate.

[Bogball XV]

Think it has a lot to do with the single minded mentality the majority of top sports stars have these days.
It can't really be said Mickelson was outstanding in the absence of Tiger either. The real winners nowadays seem to thrive in situations where they are in it for themselves and completely in control of their own fate.

i disagree, mick, whilst not outstanding was giving it 100% and realy helped Kim on early on - also it took Rose playing really well to beat him yesterday too.

[Minder]

Woods is probably one of the most single minded sportsmen in history, from the time he won his first major he was intent on breaking Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors. To then be put in a team environment would be totally alien to him. Golf is an individual sport and a golfer only has to rely on himself to then go and have to rely on another player, particularly in foursomes were you are hitting alternate shots again he would not be used to it. Another aspect i believe that played a part in U.S.A.'s poor record was some of the other Americans must have been intimidated by his presence.