Fact or Fiction: Tiger Woods Red Moments and WM Phoenix Open Madness
Welcome to another installment of SI Golf "Fact or Fiction," where we don't have to feel guilty anymore about switching channels between football and golf.
Once again, we hat tip our friends on the NFL side at SI as we post a series of topical statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also be "Neutral" since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
Tiger Woods announced a new clothing line Monday after 27 years representing Nike. He'll have at least one more amazing moment in this new "Sun Day Red."
FICTION. If his brand was so popular, Nike would have re-signed him. This will get an initial bump and then normalize. Likely you will get some good deals at Walmart or Costco within a year.—Alex Miceli
FACT. This does not necessarily mean the amazing moment will end in victory. But just to have Tiger in the mix on a Sunday again will be good enough, with the caveat that he has no more physical setbacks. The skills and the drive are still there. Jack Nicklaus tied for sixth at the Masters at age 56. Why can’t Tiger do something similar?—Bob Harig
Tiger Woods's new "Sun Day Red" brand made its debut this week at the Genesis Invitational.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
FACT. Predicting a win is folly for a 48-year-old with a creaky body who doesn't play much, but mounting a weekend charge somewhere would rank as a "moment" and Tiger's still got the game and guile for that.—John Schwarb
FACT. A 16th major? Unlikely. More footage for the career highlight reel? I would never bet against it.—Jeff Ritter
FACT. Absolutely. This is Tiger Woods we're talking about. I'm curious to see how his bionic leg holds up throughout the week at Riviera. It's a relatively manageable walking course. If Woods's body can handle the stresses of four consecutive 18-hole rounds in potentially damp conditions over the weekend, then his game will eventually sharpen up enough to seriously contend one Sunday.—Gabby Herzig
The Tiger-hosted Genesis Invitational will have a 36-hole cut, as will other "legacy" events at Bay Hill and the Memorial. This is how signature events should be contested.
FACT. Having a cut and making a cut is important in golf. How much free money do we need to give players?—A.M.
FICTION. As much as the cut issue is a hot button topic—and both Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus fought to have cuts at their events—employing a cut for these other signature events defeats their purpose. That might be unsettling, but these events were put in place to reward the top players financially. They are a response to the riches LIV Golf is bestowing on players. A guaranteed payday is part of it.—B.H.
FICTION. It's a star-driven Tour now more than ever and signature events were created to get all the stars together for four rounds. Sending a big name home for the weekend defeats the purpose. I also hate myself for this answer.—J.S.
FICTION. Still think part of what makes the Tour special is having a mid-event cut. At least some of those events would benefit by including it.—J.R.
NEUTRAL. I do think the signature events should have a cut, but the current cut format for Genesis, Bay Hill and the Memorial feels a little bit wonky to me. The cut is the top 50 and ties in addition to players within 10 shots of the lead. If the leaderboard is congested and no one leads by a significant margin before Friday, then only a small fraction of players (possibly fewer than 10) could miss the cut. Is that really necessary? The signature events should take on an "all or nothing" situation, either sticking to the no-cut model or making the cut more penal. If 30 or so players made the weekend at these events it could be amazing TV, with more shots shown and faster rounds. But then again, would sponsors appreciate the possibility of losing several top players before the final two rounds? It's a tricky one.—G.H.
Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open, crowds grew so massive and in some cases unruly that entry gates were briefly closed and alcohol sales halted. The time has come for the Tour's biggest party to dial it back.
FACT. "Dial" is being generous, how about using a cleaver.? Is it possible while golf was concerned about fracturing due to the LIV crisis that it lost its soul? Charity is important, but not over civility.—A.M.
FACT. This is tricky. The tournament is one of the most popular of the year and the vibe is typically terrific. But it’s edging the wrong way and has been for a few years. The number of players showing their frustration—and there were several—suggests things are going too far. When the competition is impacted, that’s a problem. Selling alcohol from the moment the place opens is not a good idea, and is probably the first place to start. The event has been such a good thing for so long it’s time to make sure that is not lost.—B.H.
NEUTRAL. Look, this year's event got unlucky with weather—the rain created mudslides perfect for social media-chronicled mayhem and delays in play meant drinking without distractions. Of course in perfect weather the event is a zoo, but craziness is part of the tournament's identity and for one week a year in golf it's a breath of fresh air (which smells like Coors Light so O.K. maybe not so fresh). The Thunderbirds and the Tour should tighten some things up but not to the point that fans lament how great the week used to be.—J.S.
FACT. There was just too much debaucherous social-media footage from last week to ignore, and it was legitimately dangerous out there. Time for the Thunderbirds and others to unite and get a handle on this.—J.R.
FACT. Unfortunately, yes, it's time for the WMPO to be reigned in. I attended the tournament all week long and witnessed the chaos. The weather and muddy ground conditions definitely played a factor in the madness, but regardless I saw several fans in a state of being that had nothing to do with being rained on or avoiding slippery areas of the course. Things got a little scary, with PGA Tour security even needing to cut open fences to break up overcrowding at times. I hope the tournament can sort out its protocols for next year so star players return and the tournament can restore the rowdy (but safe) party-like atmosphere that we all know and love.—G.H.
