I can't speak to Tiger's game, but a day after his announced comeback at that Masters, I am more pleased than ever that he spared the game of exposing the world to the gluttonous Tavistock Cup.  Sure, Bay Hill would have been nice, but they give credentials to local TV stations and they are supervised by men in green jackets who think writers are merely arsonists with notepads.

While the President feels Tiger will still be a terrific golfer, others aren't so sure. AP's Tim Dahlberg is one:

No, it’s because the Woods saga is a story that has morphed into a lot more than just the tale of a man who pretended to be something he wasn’t. Once one of the most esteemed athletes in the world, he’s now a soap opera-like figure whose last scripted apology clearly showed he has a lot more left to accomplish in his 12-step rehabilitation program.

He’ll go to Augusta still stinging from the pasting he’s taken from the tabloids and the late-night shows since crashing his SUV Thanksgiving night. He’ll go there vulnerable and, for the first time, unsure what kind of reception he’ll get.

The media will want to ask him questions. The fans will want him to act contrite.
Kind of hard to swagger down the fairway and say you’re sorry at the same time.

Oliver Holt says cut Tiger a break, he's been through enough and the Ryder Cup (if he plays) will be brutal.

He’s going to face open hostility from people for the first time since he turned pro. He’s going to face disrespect and disappointment.

He knows he has gone from being someone who was universally admired to a man many people now loathe.

His return is going to be the craziest circus professional sport has ever known. And don’t forget, this is a guy who used to fly into a rage if a photographer clicked on his backswing.

Suddenly, he’s going to have to deal with a whole lot more. Who knows how he’ll cope?

Ray McNulty is perhaps the least forgiving I've read yet:

Hallelujah! The demons have been exorcised. The evil spell has been broken. An overpowering addiction has been overcome.

Miraculously, it seems, Tiger Woods has been cured — just in time for him to get his game geared up for Augusta, home of The Masters, the first stop on golf’s major championship calendar and a tournament played on his favorite course.

I normally agree with Brandel Chamblee, but I'm not sure about this comment to Connell Barrett:

BC: There is a gray area there with how his personal life will affect his golf. I don't know if we'll see a whole new Tiger, but I think he'll be more respectful and patient with the media. But I don't think he'll give people what they want. Nor should he. It's a personal matter. He'll say "I've already answered that," which he did last month. In terms of his golf, people try to make this analogous to his comeback from knee surgery. That's not apples to apples. That was a physical comeback. This is an emotional one. It's more akin to when he came back from his father's death [in 2006] and missed the cut [at the 2006 U.S. Open].

Is it me, or is (allegedly) getting caught (allegedly) having mistresses, being hooked on pain pills (allegedly), driving under the influence (and getting away with it...allegedly) and revealed to be using an HGH-loving doctor (not allegedly), isn't quite the same as the passing of a parent?

Mick Elliott features this great line from Steve Stricker, who talked about the spectacle of Tiger's return and seemed to back off his comments from last weekend:  ""It's amazing how good golf transpires into being a smarter person. A few years ago, nobody cared what I thought."

On Tiger:

"Golf is going to be at the forefront for the Masters, everywhere, which I think is pretty cool. And he's coming back; I think that's another great thing. I'm excited to see him back. I'll be interested to see how he plays and how he handles everything and see how the fans and everybody handle him. But I'm anxious and looking forward to seeing him again."

On, the hype of Woods' return potentially upstaging the Masters:

"Well, the story line is going to overpower everything. And I didn't mean that in any bad way. I just think that it's a huge story line, and whether it's the Masters, which is probably one of the top events that we play in the world, that's just the way it is. That's the story of the week. But it is the Masters.

More Tweets from the Ancient Twitter:

Jeff Rude offers one of the shortest and sweetest blog posts you'll ever see, but it's a reminder that on that first tee Masters Thursday, Tiger will have to work hard not flinch when he's announced at the tee.

And finally, something tells me that rumored-South Park fan Tiger probably didn't watch this episode, but if he saw the opening segment, well, he probably didn't care for it.

Update on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:36 PM by Geoff

You can watch the full episode here.

Here's another clip...at least for now until it gets deleted.



Alan Shipnuck praises the timing of this announcement. 

3. Tiger's flaks. They finally got something right, making an early announcement to short-circuit the rampant speculation and give the world time to prepare, and doing it on a Tuesday, so as not to completely overshadow this week's Transitions Championship.

James Corrigan on the magnitude of the spectacle:

It also promises to be the most watched event in the sport's history and some are billing it as "golf's biggest ever event". That will not stop the journalists allowed in probing Woods for answers he may not wish to give. His interaction with his peers will also be of huge interest.

Bob Harig was among those talking to players at Innisbrook today and it's just heartwarming to read that no one will be receiving a call tomorrow from the PGA Tour Office Of Budget and Players Fines.

"It's good for the game," U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin said. "I'm glad he's coming back."

Said Jim Furyk, "It was going to happen; it was just a matter of when. I think we're all looking forward to business as usual and getting back to normal. It will take at least a few weeks and maybe a few months for that. We'll see. I'm looking forward to not having to talk about it anymore."

Doug Ferguson also was on the range talking to players and shares this funny anecdote:

That announcement today (NZ time) was all it took for the Masters to become about one player. Minutes later, reporters flocked to the practice range at Innisbrook to find anyone willing to share any perspective about his return to competition.

The most awkward moment came when a reporter asked Rod Pampling, who frequently plays practice rounds with Woods at the majors, if he would seek him out at Augusta National.

"I'd love to," Pampling said. "But I'm not in the tournament. Thanks for reminding me."

Steve Elling also writes about player reactions:

The concern voiced by some is that the timing of the Woods comeback, in fact, will swallow the Masters whole.

"I think the Masters is bigger than that," former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy said, somewhat hopefully.

"If he contends, it will be crazy, obviously. But early-week, obviously the only talk will be that, but the Masters is bigger than that."

It's the highest-rated golf broadcast of the year for a reason, after all.

"Nothing can upstage the Masters, no way," Mediate said. "It's the Masters, man."

Brian Wacker talks to Notah Begay, who says Tiger is a new man.

Begay also added this entire experience has changed Woods for the better away from the golf course.

"It's been excruciatingly difficult for everybody," Begay said. "He's definitely a lot more humble and a lot more grounded.

"This whole thing has taken him from his stratosphere, to where he's had to evaluate himself and his priorities. There's a degree of humility that's much more apparent. And a little humility never hurt anyone."

Brian Keough talks to Padraig Harrington:

“Clearly he would be more competitive if he did play before the Masters,” Harrington said. “I think he is well capable of winning, but it is harder to win when you haven’t been playing and haven’t been competitive.”

Jeff Rude also made it to the Innisbrook range and talks to many happy players.

The numerous players interviewed Tuesday generally agreed that Woods’ return is good for golf.

They agreed Augusta National is the safest place for a Woods return because the environment there is so controlled. As Mediate said, “If people act up, they will be removed and their tickets will be removed forever.”

And they wonder why they are such supposedly well behaved fans! Tell that to Craig Parry.

Douglas Lowe considers the matter of press relations at Augusta and believes Tiger has questions to answer.

There are also questions over the health of his reconstructed left knee, his need to have platelet-rich injection therapy to accelerate healing, and why he chose to administer this Dr Anthony Galea, the Canadian who is under investigation for possibly supplying performance-enhancing drugs in the US.

I have not read any allegations that Woods has used performance-enhancing drugs, and during his February 19 address to the world he said: “Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false.” That does not, however, answer the valid question of why Dr Galea?

Ed Sherman suggests that Tiger do a press event before the Masters to avoid a circus, which he fails to understand is the very point of playing in the Masters: to avoid questions!

It is absolutely essential for him to talk to the media prior to the tournament. One part may include a celebrity confessional with Matt Lauer or Larry King. Hard to think he would subject himself to a potential scolding from Oprah, but you never know.

Then Mr. Woods needs to do a mass press conference and face the music. He can't go through this without answering some questions. Whether he chooses to answer every question is up to him. Regardless, this is an exercise he can't avoid.

The press conference should occur the Monday or Tuesday prior to Masters week. He doesn't want to get in another situation where he takes the focus away from that week's PGA Tour event in Houston.

Scott Adamson writes:

Tournament officials can control media credentials, but that won’t stop a TMZ or National Enquirer-style publication from buying patron badges. And that means at every hole there’s the chance for an ambush, which will likely be handled quickly by security but probably not quickly enough to avert some kind of disruption.

Lawrence Donegan isn't expecting smooth sailing in the press center:

In the circumstances it is hard to believe the man of the moment would take the Fifth and avoid the media all week but do not put anything past the Green Jackets of Augusta, who make up the rules as they go along and might accommodate such cowardice, and certainly do not put anything past Fleischer, who built his reputation through obfuscation on a grand scale.

Yet, if Woods tries to dodge the microphones, he will never be able to escape the charge that, in announcing he will come back at the first major championship of 2010, he has once again put himself above the game and, worse still, put his own narrow interests above those of his fellow competitors.

Mark Reason also doesn't see how Tiger questions can stick to golf when he doesn't answer other questions first.

But can they control every question? The world wants to know what really happened on that fateful night when Woods crashed into the fire hydrant. It wants to know how many women there were and if Woods can save his marriage. It wants to know about his association with controversial doctor Tony Galea. It wants to know all those answers and many more.

Only when Woods has fronted up to that barrage will he be asked about golf.

In another story, Reason opines on Tiger's return so soon after making it sound like he'd be away from the game for a long time.

Tiger probably suspected that he would be coming back close to the Masters. He just chose to fudge it at his supposed moment of atonement. Will he never learn?

The news that Woods has chosen Augusta for his comeback to golf will also confirm his title as golf's Mr Selfish. When he disrupted the Accenture Matchplay by making his statement on the Friday of the championship Ernie Els accused him of selfishness.

John Paul Newport files this for the WSJ on the scene outside the media center:

Even so, there will be a few. Up and down Washington Road in Augusta near the club entrance, scalpers legally sell Masters tickets each year. More can be purchased through auction sites online. Badges for Thursday through Sunday competition rounds can fetch five figures. One way or another, you can bet a few yahoos will find their way onto the grounds this year and make themselves known to Mr. Woods. Who knows what creative things they are dreaming up to say?

It’s likely, too, that some of the people buying scalped tickets will be using funds supplied by the tabloids. Admission to the media center where formal interviews take place is tightly controlled, but I would expect Mr. Woods and other players to hear some eye-opening questions called out from the galleries.

Mike Walker paints this picture of the scene:

What's going to happen to the Masters when the Tiger circus comes to town? Get ready for souped-up security lines, paparazzi stakeouts at all entrances to the club (the Washington Road Starbucks is going to love this), and the ultimate "Where's Waldo?" as everybody tries to figure out where Woods is staying. Remember how John Daly selling T-shirts outside his trailer across the street from the club was a sideshow? Take that and multiply it by 5,000 and you'll get a sense of what the atmosphere will be like outside the tournament.

Scott Michaux doesn't see the town scene being a problem.

All the bombast and innuendo of the tabloid press, however, isn’t going to breach the perimeter of Augusta National during Masters Week. We’ll just need to put our blinders on when everything outside the gates gets put in the spotlight of a TV glare that doesn’t usually befall our little corner of the world.

I’m sure the TMZ’s and E! News and paparazzi will be filling up what’s left of the $400 a night hotel and motel rooms even without credentials to the tournament. Without access, they’re certain to throw the usual barbs at the commercialization of Washington Road that camouflages the golfing oasis that hides behind walls of bamboo and assorted greenery.

But who cares? Let them spend their money and take their pictures and make all the fuss they want outside of the golf tournament.

Dan Jenkins offers this suggestion via Tweet:

Mark Lamport-Stokes actually dares to wonder how his game will look.

The biggest question mark for Woods, whose career is fuelled by his hunger for more major titles, is how well he will be able to play golf given the emotional roller-coaster ride he has experienced over the last four months.

He has frequently said he never tees off at a tournament unless he firmly believes he is capable of winning that week and pundits can only guess at the mental strain he has been under while he desperately tries to repair his marriage.

At PGATour.com, they're serving up some borderline comedic fantasies:

5. COMPETING STORYLINE -- Tiger's return obviously is a huge story. On other weeks, it would likely overshadow everything else. But at Augusta National, the Tiger storyline will be competing with the competition storyline that results from the season's first major. Whether it actually happens or not, the Masters at least offers the potential for Tiger's comeback to be just "a story" instead of "the story."

6. POTENTIAL STORYBOOK FINISH -- What's the best way for Tiger to encourage his fans and sponsors to move past the off-course developments of the previous four months and shift their focus to what's happening on the course? Win a tournament, of course. And what's the best way to generate the fastest and biggest shift? Win a major, of course. Should Tiger emerge victorious on April 11 at Augusta National, he'd get a huge booster shot in terms of moving on with his life -- and the water cooler talk once again will be about Tiger's golf game.

Speaking of the delusional, how about the bookmakers:

British bookmakers William Hill has installed Tiger Woods as a 4-1 favorite to win the Masters and gave him 25-1 odds of completing a 2010 Grand Slam by winning all four major golf titles.

Woods announced on Tuesday that he would return from a layoff of nearly five months after a sex scandal, and the tabloid frenzy that followed, at the year's first major starting on the eighth of April at Augusta National Golf Club.

William Hill made Woods a 4-1 favorite to capture the Masters even without playing a tuneup event, followed by fellow American Phil Mickelson at 6-1 and Irishman Padraig Harrington at 16-1.

And finally, an unbylined CBSNews.com story writes:

Steve Sands, the hose of "Golf Central" on the Golf Network told CBS News anchor Katie Couric that if Woods acts nicely off the course and wins big, he'll be able to win back his corporate sponsors.

"If Tiger comes back, minds his Ps and Qs, smiles a little bit, acts nicely, signs autographs … and plays at a high level and wins, I don't think there's anything the American public can do and the media can do but talk about his golf," Sands said.

Steve, if it's any consolation I don't think you're a hose.

Here's Steve's interview with Katie Couric:

Jason Sobel at ESPN.com:

When Tiger rejoins the competitive arena for the first time since winning the JBWere Masters in Australia on Nov. 15, he will very likely be a changed man. More contrite. More polite. More cautious around media and fans.

We'll see!

Ron Sirak at GolfDigest.com:

To return to competition at a major without the benefit of a tournament or two to get his competitive legs back is to engage in a dangerous high-wire act before what will be an extremely large TV audience, most of whom are not well versed in the subtleties of golf or even competitive sports, for that matter. Golf is like basketball. You do not regain your game legs on the practice range. You get your chops back only under the pressure of competition.

LaTina Emerson, writing for the Augusta Chronicle, tries to gauge whether Tiger's presence will impact hospitality. It sounds like corporate sales were awful again this year.

“At this point, a lot of corporate is out of it. They can’t make a decision this close to the event,” said Glen Bynum, the director of sales for The 1018 Club on Azalea Drive. “So while it may bring a temporary spike in pricing, it’s still going to be mostly golf fans, rather than corporate fans this year.”

Bynum said that smaller companies in surrounding areas might attend the event now, but the economy also plays a factor, he said.

“Even last year when he played, it was a down year due to the economy. While it may bring in more fans and smaller businesses, the larger groups aren’t going to make any last minute decisions to come,” Bynum said.

The 1018 Club doesn’t anticipate having to make changes in food or staffing. However, customers will have a “better time” now that he’s playing, he said.

Jeff Shain tracks down Arnold Palmer for his reaction.

“It’s a bit disappointing to all of us,” Palmer said from his office above locker room at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Asked if he would have liked the API to be the venue for Woods’ highly anticipated comeback — and all the hubbub certain to come with it — Palmer said: “It’s a mixed situation. But we’d certainly like to have him play.”

And John Strege shows us that there is at least one body in golf that won't resort to maudlin statements about Tiger's return: Malcolm Booth speaking for the R&A:

"We're pleased to hear that Tiger is to return to golf. Golf needs the world No. 1 to be playing."

...squelching Captain Mark O'Meara's dreams of a Tiger-led Isleworth team at next week's Tavistock Cup. But thank God the non-golfing world won't see golf at its most egregiously excessive and over-the-top. However...

This is yet another selfish move by Woods, not that I'm surprised at this point. Instead of the Masters serving as a celebration of spring, golf and the year's first major, the return-circus has to take place where he can avoid heckling and tough questioning. And based on Steve Stricker's comments last weekend, you have to think his fellow players just lost even more respect. Not that Tiger cares.

Update on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 08:31 AM by Geoff

**The first AP story, citing a statement.

And the statement now posted on TigerWoods.com.

"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy, and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.

"When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play. I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments, and I look forward to competing in them again.

"I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game."

Update on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 09:06 AM by Geoff

TMZ of all places has a semi-maudlin statement from Billy Payne:

"We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters Tournament. Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

And the statement from PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem:

We were pleased to learn that Tiger Woods will be playing the Masters in a few weeks. He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return.  We all wish him and his family the best as he rejoins the TOUR.