Paul Azinger: 'Tiger Woods Still The Best'

The new NBC Sports golf anchor was asked who the best player currently is... He said Tiger.

Paul Azinger: 'Tiger Woods Still The Best'
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The new NBC Sports golf anchor was asked who the best player currently is when playing their best... He said Tiger.

Paul Azinger: 'Tiger Woods Still The Best'

'Tiger Woods is still the best' claims Paul Azinger.

The 1993 USPGA Champion and 2008 winning Ryder Cup captain was announced as the Golf Channel/NBC Sports' lead golf anchor, replacing Johnny Miller who retired.

Azinger was asked on the Golf Channel who he believes the world's best player is when playing their best and his response was very interesting and also very resounding.

Watch: Azinger says Tiger Woods is still the best -

He hinted his answer would be world number one Brooks Koepka or the most recent world number Dustin Johnson, before settling on Tiger Woods.

"I just can't see anybody beating Tiger when Tiger's at his best. I just can't see it," Azinger said.

"He's not his best yet, but he's almost his best. And when Tiger's his best, there's more that comes with Tiger than just the score he shoots.

"That crowd comes with Tiger, and it's a whole 'nother dynamic when Tiger's at his best. And I'm just going to have to say that when Tiger's at his best, he's still the best."

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And on what Tiger can do to win his 15th major and dominate again - stop trying to smash driver miles and start finding more fairways.

"I think he's going to have to recognise that he's not the beast out there when it comes to smacking that ball off the tee. But I'd like to see him try to hit a couple more fairways periodically. That'd be nice," Azinger said.

"If he can drive that ball in the fairway, with that putter, we've seen what his putter is capable of. The sky's the limit, boys."

This is a great talking point raised from Azinger's comments - let us know on our social channels who you think is the best golfer when playing their best.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV