obituarists

When Rory McIlroy choked in the final round of the US Masters two months ago, throwing away a four-stroke lead and finishing tied for 15th place after a humiliating round of 80, the golf obituarists were instantly on his case.

In praise of … Rory McIlroy | Editorial 2011

A classic shot replayed by the obituarists came at Royal Lytham in 1979, on the 16th hole, where Ballesteros missed the fairway with his tee shot and landed in a temporary parking lot, but struck the green with a miraculous second shot, then holed a 15-foot birdie putt to hold off Nicklaus.

Seve Ballesteros: European golf's greatest hero is gone 2011

When Ralph Adams Cram died in 1942, one of his obituarists described him as the "One Major Forgotten Man" who, despite gigantic fame during his lifetime, would nonetheless see an eclipse of his reputation in the years after his death.

The Modern Baroque of Armando Brasini 2009

When Rory McIlroy choked in the final round of the US Masters two months ago, throwing away a four-stroke lead and finishing tied for 15th place after a humiliating round of 80, the golf obituarists were instantly on his case.

In praise of … Rory McIlroy | Editorial 2011

The former world No1 has taken a battering, with a queue forming around the block to declare him yesterday's man, but a final-round, six-under-par 66 and a first top-10 finish since last summer's US Open at Pebble Beach, suggested his obituarists might have cause to regret their haste – and maybe sooner than they could possibly have imagined.

Tiger Woods shoots 66 to show signs that Masters plan may be working 2011

By how much will not be revealed for a while yet but after one round of the Bridgestone Invitational the obituarists will be shifting uncomfortably in their armchairs.

Tiger Woods shrugs off the nerves and comes back with a bang 2011

If he doesn't, then the obituarists will get to work.

Tiger Woods: can a once great champion turn his career around? Lawrence Donegan 2010

He had better produce the goods in 2011 or the obituarists will be lining up to chronicle the demise of once-great career.

Tiger Woods: can a once great champion turn his career around? Lawrence Donegan 2010

The world No2 had better produce the goods in 2011 or the obituarists will be lining up to chronicle the demise of a fallen icon of the game

Tiger Woods: can a once great champion turn his career around? Lawrence Donegan 2010

She mentions almost casually that one of his obituarists claimed it was a shortened form of “Nagasaki,” which seems unintelligible in more ways than one.

Where the Wild Things Are 2008