Capelle On Golf

Tiger Woods generates excitement, no doubt about it, but it’s not mandatory that he be playing for a tournament to be exciting. In truth, the back nine of the typical pro golf tournament is one of the most captivating spectacles in sport. Here’s proof: So far this year 76% of all stroke play events on the PGA Tour have been decided by two shots or less. That means that the outcome was in doubt until the very end three quarters of the time.

That’s a lot more than can be said for big time sports like baseball, football, basketball and especially hockey. In these sports so often “the game is over before it’s over” as Yogi Berra might have said.

Margins of Victory on the PGA Tour in 2008
M–#–%
0—8—32%
1—7—28%
2—4—16%
3—4—16%
5—1—4%
8—1—4%
M = winning margin, # = number of events.
0 means there was a playoff.

Top 10 Players not Named Tiger who have Won By 2 Shots or Less
Tiger won three stroke play events on the tour this year. His two most exciting were at Bay Hill where he sank a 24 foot putt to win by a shot on the final hole, and at the Open, which was decided in a playoff. He lapped the field at the Buick Invitational, an event with as much drama as a snail race. The following events were Tigerless affairs won by top 10 players. Despite his absence, each was a thriller.

Phil Mickelson – Northern Trust – 2 shots
Ernie Els – Honda – 1 shot
Adam Scott – EDS Byron Nelson – playoff – sank a 48 foot putt to win
Sergio Garcia – THE PLAYERS – playoff – stuffed an iron to about 5’ on the 17th
Phil Mickelson – Crowne Plaza – 1 shot – the shot through the trees to 9’
Stewart Cink – Travelers – 1 shot