Tiger Returns

Would he be better with a knee brace?

 

How do you know this? I'm asking seriously. I have no idea what it's like to rehab an ACL. You think he's coming back too early?

I figure Tiger has the best doctors in the world looking after him, and he missed the second half of last year, so why rush back for this shitty match play thing? Then again, I remember hearing all along that he might not be ready until The Masters, so he may be pushing his return a bit. I have no clue.

 

The Match Play makes sense for a few reasons. For one, he likely won't have to play 18 holes a day, unless he makes to the title.

As others have said, it could be a very short week, but a return to tournament play.

Lastly, even coming of knee surgery, he's the baddest match play motherfucker. He knows it. And he damn sure knows that everyone else knows it.

 

Tiger's return is big for golf, but as someone who this weekend will be attending his third PGA event since the 2009 season began (Bob Hope Classic, Buick Invite and now the Northern Trust Open) I'm a golf fan regardless if Tiger's in the field or not. It's also been fun when I've stumbled upon a guy who is new to the tour and plays well. I'll be looking for more of the same this weekend. Oh, and by the way, not that Tiger needs to prove anything at all, but I reckon the reason he isn't playing this week is because of the timing of the birth of his son (totally understandable) and NOT because he's NEVER won the closest PGA Tour event to his hometown. The L.A. event was the first PGA tournament he played in back when he was still attending Anaheim's Western High School.

 

So are betting against him in the Masters and (U.S. and Brit.) Open events? I'm not.

 

Just ask J.B. Holmes, who throws up a little in his mouth just thinking about the ETW match-play train that pancaked him last year.

RB

 

Unless its the Ryder Cup.

 

No. Because knee braces limit your range of motion. Tiger needs complete ROM to for his drive to be 100 percent - remember, his knee was screwed up from the extreme force he was putting on it when he locked it out during his drives.

The type of knee brace that is typically prescribed after ACL repairs limits the legs ROM by about 10 percent. It doesn't allow you to lock out your leg.

This is done because ACL tears occur in one of two ways.
1. Severe twists - getting mangled like Willis McGahee where your knee gets forced in a direction it isn't supposed to go in (Sometimes this leads to the the leg locking out and causes the tear).
2. Locking your knee out and putting all the force in your leg on your ligaments.

Basically, if you don't lock out your leg it is very hard to tear an acl. You aren't going to tear it by making Barry Sanders like jukes, unless you are locking your leg out when you do it. That spells trouble.

Seriously, I don't know how Tiger is going to do it. If so he will be pretty bad ass.

But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say with his drive, he will be having a tough time. I bet Tom Brady has a better return from his injury than Tiger, because Brady can wear the brace and it won't hamper his ability to set his feet and launch the ball. Tiger on the other hand will either not have to wear a brace and risk re-injury, or wear a brace and sacrifice his drive.

 

Minored in kinesiology in college, and tore my ACL a year ago.

I'm not sure why the doctors are giving him clearance to play in this - maybe it wasn't as bad of a tear as originally told. I'm sure Tiger would be okay to shoot some hoops, go for a jog, those types of things but to start teeing off using his incredibly forceful style... that just spells trouble.

I can't remember when he had his surgery, but it takes 6 months for the screws that hold the ligament/muscle graph to the bone. Anything before six months and you are risking ripping the screws right out and detaching your new ligament. That part has nothing to do with doctors, physical therapy, or being a good athlete. It just takes that long for the screws to set in the bone.

 

Gotcha. Does all that depend on what kind of doctor you hire to fix your knee? I mean...if you're Tiger and can get anyone in the world, can those doctors use, I don't know, better screws or something to ensure a quicker recovery? Or is it all the same no matter who operates on you?

Didn't Tiger wax Stew Daddy Cink last year, something like 8 and 7 in the finals? Maybe this is the perfect even for him to make his return. Might not play all 18 holes each day. I think someone already said that.

 

He had the surgery soon after the Open last June, so it's been at last eight months.

Woods wouldn't come back without being ready. He appears to think of his career on the long-term arc, as he should.

He's fun to watch. Glad he's back. I like golf regardless, but it certainly took a dip last year without Woods.