Pavin not ready to put a Tiger in his tank

Originally Published: May 25, 2010 4:28 PM CDT

Hope all is well in your world. Love the gig here at Oklahoma Sports, but if the wind doesnt slow to 40 mphon an average golf day, Im packing the wife, the boy and the sticks and heading west--moving. No cheering in the cheap seats! Please.

Thinking of Arizona or SoCal. Three-club winds and Oak Tree National are about to drive me to the insane asylum--no cheering from the cheap seats! Please)

A couple of things to chew on:

-Corey Pavin is saying the right things about requiring Tiger “earn” his way Captain Pavin’s Ryder Cup team. It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

First, Tiger will make the team. Second, Pavin is a straight-laced guy and would never give Tiger the old nod-and-a-wink pass. Third, Tiger’s play to this point does not warrant a spot on the roster. 

-Golf swing gurus Butch Harmon and Hank Haney have several things in common: they worked with Tiger on his golf swing; they were fired by Tiger (although Haney beat Eldrick to the “quit-or-fired punch claiming last night he “resigned”); and both of them went from private workouts with Woods to taking a higher and higher profile before the ultimate split.

There’s no doubt, that this was a  problem years ago between Woods and Harmon. Some speculated back then Tiger just didn’t like Harmon taking advantage of being his coach and making big money and popping up in magazines and on TV. And when Haney began his gig trying to teach Charles Barkley and others on ESPN shows, a split-up seemed inevitable to me.

-Just look back at one of the reasons fired his only other Tour caddy. Fluff Cowan became a front and center looper when Tiger first went on tour. Fluff was on commercials, giving air-worthy sound bites and finding ways to cash in on his Walrus look and overall persona. Then came the pink slip from Woods. Just like the ones that went to Butch and now Hank.

Bottom line, good move for Tiger. Bottom line two, even Tiger Woods needs a swing coach. Mark O’Meara can’t do it. John Cook can’t do it. Tiger can’t do it. He needs to run an ad and choose from a bunch of stallions who would surely come calling (making that’s not the best way to put it for Romeo Woody Woods).

-Keep an eye on a few of the Okies in the Senior/Champions PGA Championship this week up in CColorado. My man Woody--Jim Woodward, who is seen regularly here on Oklahoma Sports, Bob Tway--a possible winner, and Dr. Gil Morgan--a previous Champions Tour majors winner.

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