If Phil Can't Do It, Ernie Can!

Saturday night on the Golfin' Channel, Ernie said (and I'm para-quoting) "I'll just be heading out there to shoot a 3-under tomorrow, and we'll see what happens." Less than 24 hours later, Ernie is BACK, and not a minute too soon. If we don't see some vintage Ernie, or classic Phil soon, we'll be watching a Tiger-dominated season of golf that will be downright boring in its predictability. We need some competition. I watch to see that great duel down the home-stretch. For tournaments and championships to be memorable, you need that hot competition. Phil's first Masters victory was great because of the Ernie-Phil duel that made his winning putt something to jump up and down about. Tiger's last British Open was almost exciting because Chris DiMarco was making a late charge. It was another DiMarco charge at the Masters that made Tiger's chip-in on 16 such a thriller (I mean, in your life, have you ever?)

If Phil and Ernie can't do it, we need some of these young guys with so much promise (yet so little results) to start posing a challenge to The One. Matt Jones looked great at the Honda, and Golf Digest predicted he'd be one to watch. Jason Day might be the real deal, or he might be another Ty Tryon. Don't count Badds out yet... How cool would a Steve Stricker/Tiger Woods final pairing be at any major?

Bottom line, the Flogger says that, though history may be made in 08, we'll only really be talking about it for years to come if a true rivalry takes place. Sure, we'd like to tell the grand-kids how we watched The One lap the field at all four majors back in ought-eight, but books will be written and movies will be made if The One needs to fend off a resurgent Phil, and a rejuvenated Ernie. ...and if we see one of the young rookies make like Sergio's performance at the PGA some years ago, all the better.

GF