Tiger Should Return To The PGA Tour At...

...Kapalua. For the 2010 SBS Championship.

Here's why:

• He can enter the Friday before and various outlets will have missed the chance to apply for a credential.

• Even if they are able to apply for some sort of last minute credential, the pain and expense of trying to get a short-notice flight and hotel room near Kapalua will discourage most, reducing his exposure to the inevitable circus that will await his arrival at Torrey Pines.

• Galleries will be smaller, more relaxed. This reduces the possibility of hecklers, protestors or whatever other kind of nut is likely to appear.

• The tournament is no longer sponsored by a car manufacturer, reducing the number of potential jokes about his driving.

• Wide fairways...again, just thinking of the driving jokes.

• Played in early January, it gets him back in the public eye sooner and perhaps...perhaps helps make life a little easier for everyone involved.

Your thoughts?

Comments

[Pharmacist]

Will there be drug testing?

[Greg Moore - PGA]

I have not gotten involved with this Tiger stuff as that is/was his personal life. I do however think that in light of what has come out, the TW Foundation needs to change the TV ad that they are running during the Chevron Challenge where they say that Tiger along with his foundation is helping to shape the morals of today's youth (or something along that line).

[RM]

I agree.

[Miss Priss!]

Fearless camera snaps on the backswing ... more than ever?

[John Redcorn]

Oh, there's going to be heckling and protestors....many of them. The tour will police things and throw out people who act up, but they can't really stop it from happening. I wonder if the reactions to his anger on the course (from cameras, people moving, the inevitable heckling) will be different now.

[Tighthead]

Perfectly sensible Geoff.

[Minefats]

It really doesn't matter. With every tour stop there will be a whole new group of fans that will want to express their disapproval. This thing will fester all year long.

[Chuck]

I thought about the prospects for his "first tournament after..."

I had wondered if his first event might be the AT&T at Pebble. (Sponsor is his, it's the Open site this year, etc.) but I had doubted it, simply because he hates all of that pro-am stuff. Pebble, as a golf course, might be a good starting point, for all the same reasons that Geoff suggested for Kapalua. It's a course where the galleries are mostly shunted off to one side. And yeah, not much premium on driving. But there are the other courses to consider that week.

I really do abhor the notion that this tabloid drama might give a few people in the galleries at Tour events some reason to think that they can act like they are at an NBA playoff game. Even the prudent thing to combat that (heavy security all around Tiger) is a negative spectacle for golf. I fear, not just for Tiger but for the game as a whole.

[Brad]

Tiger should play Kapalua. It would be nice for him to help support the tour.

[O.W.]

Y'all seem to be ahead of yourselves--it appears that a stint at Betty Ford is going to come first....then there's the redemption tour!! As for Elin--get help fast!! Wielding a weapon with intent to harm is a far cry from pulling this guy's hat down over his ears...and while you both are at it, be down on your knees grateful that Mayberry RFD was in charge of this "investigation"..

[O.W.]

oh, wait--It won't be Betty Ford, Passages in Malibu is more likely--less time, no 12 step, etc.

[dbh]

I like the idea, Geoff.

[pt]

who cares? he deserves whatever grief comes his way

[James H.]

"I really do abhor the notion that this tabloid drama might give a few people in the galleries at Tour events some reason to think that they can act like they are at an NBA playoff game."

Well, Chuck, seems to me they've been doing that since 1997

"No Love"
"Get in the Hole"
"You da Man"

It will just be directed at Tiger now and not at his opponents

[smails]

another few days and something will knock this off the front page. i hope.

[blader]

I'd imagine most Catholics would find reasonable a penance of three Hail Mary's, two Our Father's and playing Kapalua.

[Press Agent]

I agree we're getting ahead of ourselves, at this point it is plausible we may not see Tiger play for a long long time.

[dbh]

Today's the first day Tiger hasn't been front and centre in my trips to news.google.com/, smails. So maybe the whole tawdry saga's starting to limp off the main stage.
What a hot potato for the network that gets his first tourney appearance! I don't think any of them are up to the challenge.

[Fairway Stevie]

Your suggestion is perfectly sound but I wonder how much of our desires to see Tiger out there is concern for his best interest and how much is purely selfish on our parts.

[Miss Priss!]

Just show up Sunday with Tigress to award the winner ... deliver an apology life you've never done in your life and by God if you weep your words it better be damn sincere ... and most everybody will probably be okay, including the press.

How you fix it with wifey ... well ... we'll just let you do that yourself.

[dbh]

Nah.
The whole idea of rehab makes sense to me from a PR standpoint though. Especially if he goes alone. Play acting or not, it conveys the idea he's confronted his demons and presto, chango, he's now a changed man.
So, if you're booing you're booing the 'old' Tiger.

[Tom Naccarato]

There is so much ego at play here.

While Geoff's idea is a really good one, I feel the ego-driven machine of both Tiger and his handlers will want to use his return as a publicity bonanza. At least that is what the past has shown us. To think any of it will change would be, well, honestly, it doesn't seem that Tiger thinks he has done anything really wrong with the exception of getting caught. Yes, he's sorry now, but he I'm sure he's thinking about other big names of Golf's past that have done the same thing on their spouses and have gotten away with it. Its all so ego driven. He is manipulating the situation to some extent. Or so it would seem.

If Kapalua were even a thought, I'm sure they would demand extra security for him in some sense, and as soon as that gets out--VIOLA media frenzy. You should see how the USGA handles it for the US Open. No other players get that kind of security unless they are playing in the same group as Tiger. (I'm not being critical of it, but more, it is sort of a necessity)

[Ottawa Golf Blog]

Good advice. All great reasons hopefully Tiger reads your post.

[dbcooper]

Starting at Kapalua makes sense to me.

Unlike some viewpoints expressed, I don't think Woods can channel his anger over this mess and turn himself into a monster golfer once again.

Instead, I'm not sure that he will get to 19 pro majors.

I hope he doesn't.

Nicklaus is clearly the better man.

[dsl]

Tom - Apologies, but I'd like expand and twist your thoughts to include athletes at all levels who have done the same thing and gotten away with it (or not). I mean, if you're Tiger, don't you look around and wonder why other professional athletes aren't getting the same treatment? Considering he's friends with Michael Jordan (didn't he doing the same thing?), he probably doesn't see what the big deal is here. Heck, he hangs with Jeter and Barkley (strictly speaking, not exactly shining moral examples).

At some level, I had always thought that infidelity was as much a part of professional sports as jocks and gatorade. Maybe the shocking thing is that it's happened in the conservative world of golf. But, to assume that Tiger's the only out there on tour engaging in this sort of behaviour is ridiculous.

Anyway, I guess my point is that I can understand why Tiger may feel like he didn't do anything wrong (other than getting caught). In some ways, he's a jock doing what jocks do.

[CK]

At his first tournament, pair him with Vijay and Phil, just to cheer him up. Or Jesper.

[Arj]

I think starting at Kapalua sounds like a fine idea.
Of course, he could start his season at the Northern Trust Open. There wouldn't be a lot of paparazzi in Los Angeles, and Tiger just devours Riviera...and he could play head-to-head versus Phil on Sunday...I think we have a winner! LA it is!

[styled]

To mix metaphors, we're just getting our arms around the legs on this story. I don't think it ends with the first tour stop. It ends when and if everyone has his/her say on everything ranging from monogamy on the PGA Tour to the evolving nature of digital media. Here's a short list of people who I still want to hear from:

1. Fuzzy Zoeller
2. Jack
3. Arnold
4. Friends and foes of the New York night club hostess
5. Friends and foes of the Vegas cocktail waitress and wanna-be reality star (31-month liaison)
6. Derek Jeter
6. Rory Sabbatini
7. Michael Jordan

Most of these people may be going with no comment right now. Others might give a perfunctory: "He owned up to his shortcomings. I bet he'll be a better man than he was." But there could be some wild cards in there.

[tlavin]

Tiger's very unlikely to vary his routine. He'll hang onto the maniacal control of the schedule, so I seriously doubt that he'd go to Kapalua.

[Margie]

Womanizer warning will be needed, wherever this slumdog billionaire appears.

[MRP]

Geoff...

You ask for thoughts on this one. Here is my thought. The door is WIDE open for someone else to become the next superstar in golf. If you analyze the length of time the greats rule the golfing world, Tiger's reign is getting long in the tooth. Knee injury, tempur tantrums, personal life crumbling, fans discontent with him...opens the door for Mickelson on the heels of his families struggle with cancer to become the guy. Paddy is always a class act. And both of those guys have the game and the confidence to beat Tiger.

Add in McIlory, Mahan, Glover, and a few more young guns and this could be the changing of the guard in golf.

Those are my thoughts...when Tiger makes his return isn't all that important. He will be back at the majors and if he isn't sharp he will get beat...just like he did in every major last year.

[The O]

And Elin would not object to being in Maui in January, since I'm assuming she'll be popping up more often now.

[Clare V.]

Woods is living on borrowed time with regard to injury and temperament. Mickelson will become #1, and Woods will soon withdraw from the game, citing injury more than loss of interest.

McIlroy and Fowler are two to watch.

[UB]

They (Elin & Tiger) will move to Sweden and start over. Tiger will join the Euro PGA and not play in the USA except at the 3 Majors. It will all be spelled out in the amendments of his new Pre-nup. There will be a wholesale abandonment of the PGA Tour in the USA as the pros follow Tiger for their chance to play him in Europe. It ain't never going to be the same again.

[Press Agent]

I don't get the whole re-hab thing?

Re-hab for what exactly? Re-hab for being a man and having sex with women who are willing? Re-hab is another word for cure, so what exactly is it that he would be getting cured of?

[jjshaka]

Good idea on the SBC in Hawaii for Woods- get it out of the way.
I think the news cycle is running out and unless there is another "Bimbo eruption" he's probably clear.
I think the galleries will generally be OK but I bet there will be a noticeable shift towards other golfers in the future. Tiger blew most of his unconditional adulation.
Also, Ambien sex- what a sheltered life I apparently lead.

[Brad Ford]

Would anyone who yells "Get in the Hole!!!" be considered a Tiger Heckler?

[John C]

Why waste your thoughts to help the guy. Really.

[RM]

John C, You ask "Why waste your thoughts to help the guy. Really."...so why waste your time posting a comment?

[Tim in Hoylake]

Ahoy Tom N. --> try Voila; a Viola is an instrument in an orchestra.