Tiger Woods should concede Player of the Year to Padraig Harrington

Aug 14

Tiger Woods should concede Player of the Year to Padraig Harrington

Tiger Woods needs to come out with another one of those snazzy newsletters at his website. You know the ones in which he tells us earth-shattering things - like that he’s enjoying watching the Olympics on TV.

Only in his next newsletter, Tiger should concede the Player of the Year award to Padraig Harrington. It’s time for the greatest golfer in history to let everyone know that he does not deserve Player of the Year, that Harrington is the golfer who clearly had the better 2008.

Tiger’s entire career, his entire life focus, has been based on the belief that golf is all about the majors, that those four big events every year are where true greatness is determind. By Tiger Woods’ own measuring stick, it’s impossible to conclude that he did more this year than Harrington. The Irishman’s won two majors in a single calendar year. Case closed.

Sure, Tiger had one of the most dominant starts to a PGA Tour season that we’ve ever seen. It was so dominant that the mainstream media jumped on WorldGolf.com original thinker William K. Wolfrum’s Tiger will go undefeated in ‘08 prediction with an unbridled zeal. And yes, later, Tiger did win the greatest U.S. Open ever at Torrey Pines on one battered knee, a tournament that will be talked about long, long after anyone remembers who won Player of the Year in ‘08.

But none of this changes the fact that Padraig Harrington has had a better year.

His achievements already have been unfairly discounted because he’s Padraig Harrington. Can you imagine if Tiger Woods shot 66-66 in the last two rounds of the PGA Championship like Harrington did? It’d would probably be talked about as one of the greatest PGA Championships ever too. And suddenly no one would remember those boring first two rounds of the PGA like they do now because Padraig Harrington - and not Tiger - made all those incredible putts down the stretch on Sunday.

Tiger Woods needs to show that he’s above all this fawning Tiger worship and act how the greatest golfer in history should act. He should concede Player of the Year.

Just imagine what an incredible reaction Tiger would produce by doing this. It’d be hailed as one of the all-time acts of good sportsmanship. And all Tiger has to do is do what he has to know deep down is right.

The greatest golfer in history should be above trying to squeak out another Player of the Year trophy. And there are still plenty of dolts ready to hand it to him. End the nonesense, Tiger. Tell everyone that Padraig Harrington is your Player of the Year.

He’s won two majors. You more than anyone know that makes it right.

« Olympics hero Michael Phelps gives us a mom who is even more annoying than Phil Mickelson's release-the-kids photo-op routine

PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington admits to surprise at Sergio Garcia finding water on 16 »

19 comments

§ teeoff said on : 2008-08-14 @ 14:03
Harrington earned it. Tiger should not have to say anything but Congratulations which I am sure he will.
If Paddy had not won two-it would be different.
§ Booger said on : 2008-08-14 @ 14:03
Woods is not the greatest golfer in history.
§ The Armchair Golfer said on : 2008-08-14 @ 14:07
Those pair of 66s were amazing. If Tiger, or, dare I say, Phil, close out a major in that fashion the golf world would be in a tizzy. If Harrington doesn't get POY, it's an injustice. Not that Tiger cares about such awards anyway.
§ Brandon Tucker® said on : 2008-08-14 @ 16:15
He shouldn't concede because the players should vote for Harrington in the first place.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 2008-08-14 @ 16:36
God Darned Tucker, that's my argument! Didn't you read my friggin' memo?!?! Absolutely. Tiger coming out, Dear Prudence, would be a slap in the face to the blue-collar laborers of professional golf in these here 13 colonies, 48 contiguous states or whatever the US PGA tour represents. Tiger coming out would mean that he actually cares about POY. Since Jack didn't care (although he graciously accepted it), TW doesn't care, not neither.
§ Mark Nessmith said on : 2008-08-14 @ 18:38
Ladies, there will be no concessions and no players voting on anything. According to the PGA of America, who has given the award since 1948, the POY award is "presented to the top touring professional based on a point system for tournament wins, official money standings and scoring averages. Points are tabulated from Jan. 7, through the Children's Miracle Network Classic, which concludes Nov. 9. In addition, 50 bonus points are awarded to players with more than one major championship in the same year, and an additional 25 points for each additional major championship."
§ Dave said on : 2008-08-14 @ 19:13
I hope you realise, guys, that Tiger Woods doesn't actually care about either the PGA Tour Player of the Year or the PGA Player of the Year. He's won nine of each.

The Armchair Golfer, Tiger's U.S. Open win was arguably more impressive than Harrington's pair of 66s, in what was a pretty damn boring PGA Championship. But Harrington deserves both POY's, I guess.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 2008-08-14 @ 19:27
Is Harrington a member of the US PGA tour? Can he receive its player of the year award? Nessmith, you misogynist, stop calling us ladies. The politically-correct term is dames.
§ Kiel Christianson® said on : 2008-08-14 @ 21:54
Nope. I've seen pictures of your butts.
The correct term is "broads."

:)
§ Brandon Tucker® said on : 2008-08-14 @ 22:16
PGA Tour POY is voted on by the players...

"The PGA Tour Player of the Year award, also known as the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, is administered by the PGA Tour and was introduced in 1990; the recipient is selected by the tour players by ballot, although the results are not released other than to say who has won."

PGA is done by the points system you speak of.

Why can't the two fricking merge again and rid us of this pointless confusion????
§ Chris Baldwin® said on : 2008-08-15 @ 04:43
PGA Tour Player of the Year is the only award that anyone cares about. Someone would have to work for the PGA of America or used to have worked for them to even bring up their lame award.

And as noted, the Player of the Year award is voted on by the other pros. Which is why Tiger needs to concede. Several of Harrington's peers have already said they're going to vote for Tiger no matter what.

They are so paranoid about upseting the mighty Tiger that they just may hand him something he doesn't deserve to stay on his good side. Hence, Tiger needs to come out and throw his support behind the 2008's 2-time major winner.
§ Brooklyn said on : 2008-08-15 @ 08:00
Nonsense. The Golf Channel did an informal poll of players, some on camera, and reported the overwhelming majority favored Harrington. I think you make things up to support your own silliness.
§ Chris Baldwin® said on : 2008-08-15 @ 14:03
You're not kidding about the "informal" bit about the poll. This week's Wyndham Championship with only one player Top 20 player competing is sure packed full of influential locker room voices.

Why not just ask Micheal Phelps who he thinks should win golf's Player of the Year?

We'll see how much of a controversy this POY decision becomes in the next few months. Just remember you read it here first.
§ Stacy said on : 2008-08-15 @ 14:39
When has Tiger Woods conceded to anything?

Wait, here's the U.S. Open trophy, guys...my knee hurts too much to finish.
§ Wendy (UK) said on : 2008-08-15 @ 14:41
Your reference to the influence of the players in the Wyndham Championship on the POY has gone way over my head. Are they the ones who participated in the informal poll?
If so, I think we can count on VJ's support for Harrington!

Who are these peers of Harrington? What have I missed?
§ Dave said on : 2008-08-15 @ 20:17
Chris, you could've written a nice, juicy, controversial Michelle Wie blog this week.

But no, you had to write a pointless, boring blog about a stupid award that no one could give a flying f**k about.

What the hell's wrong with you?
§ Brooklyn said on : 2008-08-16 @ 09:57
Now I get it, the top 20 or so conduct caucuses in the lock room instructing lower ranked players on how and for whom to vote. Thanks for clearing that up! Fiction is your true calling!
§ Chris Baldwin® said on : 2008-08-17 @ 01:14
From The Independent newspaper:

Unbelievably, Woods is still favourite to win the PGA Tour's Player of the Year (yes, they regard it as a global award) and, apparently, one of the main arguments for rating a one-major campaign above one of two majors is that Woods won the US Open while Tiger Woods was in the field.

The link to the article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/golf/its-paddy-power-not-the-luck-of-the-irish-899663.html

From a Michigan golf column:

A quick look at their season statistics says Woods' case for Player of the Year is every bit as good as Harrington's -- if not better.

Link to the full article:

http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/savagethoughts/2008/08/tiger_woods_still_gets_my_vote_as_the_pgas_player.html

Shocking how newspapers on both sides of the pond are still talking about this and making the case for Woods as Player of the Year. Brooklyn, the only fiction is yours - as usual.
§ Brooklyn said on : 2008-08-17 @ 09:55
Wait a minute, you said "Harrington's peers are going to vote for Woods no matter what". Now you've conveniently referenced a few media sources who say Woods is the favorite. Not one of those sources identifies the "peers"--those who actually have a VOTE.

You're full of s**t!