Measuring Greatness of Tiger Woods, by Numbers
By Bill Felber
Instead, life intervened
The Tiger Woods who has competed on the PGA Tour since 2008 has been something more than competent – he has a Masters win, two runner-ups at the PGA and five other top fives in majors.
But he’s also been often-injured, leading to seven missed cuts and 14 other Majors in which he was a no-show. As a result, his career score for that post-2008 period is 11.91…nice but hardly overwhelming.
You know who else on tour has a career score of about 11.91? Billy Casper, that’s who. Billy Casper was a very nice PGA Tour pro of the 1950s and 1960s; he won the 1959 U.S. Open and famously overhauled Arnold Palmer at the 1966 U.S. Open.
A lot of pros would kill to have Billy Casper’s career. But among the game’s all-time greats, 51 have had statistically better careers than Billy Casper.
In short, considering only his play since 2008 Tiger Woods has been about the 52nd best male golfer in the game’s history. That’s why has career rating has slid. That’s why he only ranks fourth all time today. That’s why he’s no longer a legitimate threat to catch Nicklaus as No. 1 for career excellence.
Which is no knock on Woods, who for peak excellence remains decidedly the best player in the history of golf.