Tiger's Returning At The Masters Clippings, Vol. 1
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."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Reader Comments (26)
If he crashes & burns.....will they say he's rusty, or a changed man in transition ?
If he wins......will they say all is forgiven ?
"Gotta feel sorry for the players." There is absolutely no reason to feel sorry for any of the other competitors in the field. Everybody in the field owes Tiger plenty, on the other hand. I'm not going to bore anybody with an economic analysis of Tiger's impact on the financial well-being of the members of the tour, but suffice it to say that they're earning a heck of a lot more as a direct result of his impact on the overall numbers. If you're suggesting that the players should get some sympathy because of the distraction that Tiger's presence brings to this major tournament, I'll just say that winning a major is something that only people who have the necessary mettle need apply for. If they're feeling sorry for themselves, they'll be on a plane on Friday evening looking to make some money in a corporate outing a few days thereafter.
I will say that I enjoyed your wish (missed cut) compared with your prediction (4th place). I guess Tiger can also cause temporary schizophrenic golf thinking!
One way or the other, I'm just happy to hear that he's playing again, missed cut or made cut, 4th or 40th.
Tiger earned more world ranking points in 2009 events alone than Phil and Henrik Stenson did combined in 2009. As for VJ being happy Tiger currently has 476 world ranking points and VJ has 130. VJ would not be so happy. Mind you Tiger did that playing in way less events that the other players.
http://dps.twiihosting.net/wgr/doc/content/archive/2009/owgr52f2009.pdf
Now, he has abundant fuel, and he'll be preparing for a major without any distractions from the bimbo brigade and sponsor obligations for the first time in several years.
I predict that a focused, rested, pissed-off Tiger is going to do well in the Masters... VERY well.
K
I'd like to see Howard Stern float in on a hot air balloon with ten of Tiger's shags and land on one of those fairways as Tiger strolls up to his ball and gang tackle him AND Stevie "I knew nothing" Williams! That would a Master's for the ages.
Yawn....
You said you were not interested in Tiger but continue to comment about him.
You said you would not watch him. You won't be watching much of the Masters, will you?
I have about as much interest in Tiger Woods as I have in your opinion about anything.
Also, what's the Over/Under on the number of rent-a-cops, up to and including Blackwater security, that Augusta National will hire for the 2010 Masters?
The golf scribes, led by Dan Jenkins and with Shack picking up the crumbs, will do whatever Tiger tells 'em to do. Without Tiger, Jenkins, Shack, and their pals would just trying to hustle 25-cent Nassaus at the local nine-hole establishment.
Ari Fleischer will tell 'em what's so, and that's what they'll ask. Anybody who dares as Tiger a serious question will be removed from Augusta National and banned for life from all professional golf coverage.
Sources tell me Fleischer already been working with Jenkins to line everyone up and tell 'em what's what. After that, it'll be like the NBA writers and Michael Jordan. No one will dare say a word.
Dan Jenkins is a Texas redneck drunk who goes through a wife about as fast as he goes through a six-pack.
Jenkins, his Lone Star thug buddies, and his bar tab will do whatever Tiger tells him to do. Man's got no guts. Never did.