His best golf is behind him, but there’s still a lot of talent left in there if he can overcome his tendency to try too much, too quickly.
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True, he was player of the year in 2013 I believe.
However, the yips in his chipping have been creeping into his game for a long time and it’s getting worse, not better. Combine that with the pull hooks he’s hitting, which are deadly for a pro, and it’s not looking good.
We can just guess on all this stuff to death I guess - though i would say that first :)
Pull hooks - yes, deadly because of the lack of predictability. Locking the left knee prevented this in the past. Now after surgeries this is no longer an option. So a fundamental change in the swing mechanics is required. He never had a Julius Boros swing so this is a huge re-engineering.
Additionally, the shape of the grooves no longer favors his style of play. Driving accuracy is at a greater premium.
As for the yips, I am guessing it is related to pain medication or the results of coming off it. Opiates change your neuro chemistry and leave their imprint for many months.
He might benefit from a simply sitting down with Johnny Miller and having a discussion about “longevity”.