Report: Game Would Not Be Where It Is Without Tiger

This one reeks of a managing editor in features telling a sports editor that he had this great idea over the weekend: tell our readers what golf would have been like without Tiger Woods coming along. Bet there was lots of head nodding and back massaging going around the editors room down in central Florida over this one.

 Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel was given the uneviable task of researching this unresearchable story.

Here's a real newsflash:

Considering how Woods has altered the game, there's reason to believe his absence would have stunted the sport's growth.

"Would the game be as exciting? Probably not," said David Leadbetter, the famous golf coach of players such as Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Nick Price. "He makes golf interesting everywhere, from the prize money to TV to the international aspect of it. You can go anywhere in the world, and in all probability, they've heard of Tiger Woods. The game hasn't always had that, and I don't know if it would without him."

Comments

[Tom]

I'm trying to confirm or dispel a rumor I've heard. It's that Tiger's knee is flaring up again. Unconfirmed reports tell of him limping out in public. I've read/seen nothing on this which makes me think that it's not true, but . . . Anyone know? I'm guessing that only "Team Tiger" would know for sure and they don't talk.