We often remember Stewart Cink for his epic playoff against Tiger Woods at WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2006. But he has few other achievements as well. However, this time Stewart has made it to the Tour Championship for the first time since 2009. He finished T38 at the BMW Championship and remained 23rd in the FedExCup rankings to qualify for the Tour Championship.
Meanwhile, his performance this season in the playoffs hasn’t been up to the mark. But still, he has made it to the Tour Championship, thanks to his two victories earlier this season. First at the Safeway Open and then at the RBC Heritage.
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“How do you compete against that?” Stewart Cink on competing against peak Tiger Woods
Recently, Stewart Cink gave an interview to the PGA Tour, where they asked him about competing against peak Tiger Woods, and this is what he said: “He personified what you imagined as perfect golf. He had the length, he had the accuracy, he had the control, he had the short game and the putting, and he had on top of that the mental strength, he didn’t have a single weakness.”
“I would imagine it probably felt like what NBA players feel when they play against a guy like Giannis, who is tall, he can handle the ball, he’s quick, he’s got good instincts, he can rebound, and he’s very physical. It’s probably about like that.”
“How do you compete against that?” Cink continued. “I played with Tiger at least half a dozen times on Sunday when he finished first. Just to see him at his best was a treat. It was demoralizing, and it was inspiring kind of all at once.”
And whatever Stewart Cink said is true. Tiger Woods was unmatchable with his game right from 1997 to 2010. And the level of dominance Tiger Woods had during those thirteen years is unfathomable. It seemed like whenever he steps on the course for an event, there is no one else other than Tiger who is going for the win.
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Resurgence of Cink
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Stewart Cink, who was in his prime from 2000 to 2010, sadly didn’t get the recognition and opportunities as his best years overlapped with Tiger’s prime. However, there was a resurgence in Stewart Cink in this season at the RBC Heritage. He had a five-shot lead going into the final day and had the young sensation, Collin Morikawa, chasing him.
However, it turned out to be a mismatch as Cink carded a bogey-free 70 and won the event, while Morikawa fell back and finished T7 after carding 72.
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Meanwhile, Stewart Cink will start the 2021 Tour Championship with a score of -1 and is nine strokes behind the leader. However, this top 30 finish has given him entry into the WGC-HSBC Champions, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, Genesis Scottish Open, The Open Championship, and Masters Tournament.
Read More – Field for 2021 Tour Championship: List of the 30 Golfers Who’ve Qualified