Tiger Ratings Impact, Vol. 391

Thomas Bonk, in his online Los Angeles Times column:

If there was any doubt about how much Woods influences ratings, check out the weekend's overnight ratings from the Wachovia on CBS.

Saturday's overnight metered market rating was a 1.4 -- down 42% from the 2.4 rating in 2007 when Woods was in contention. And Sunday's overnight metered market rating was a 1.8 -- down 53% from the 3.8 last year when Woods wound up winning.

Woods is out of action because of knee surgery. In the meantime, CBS is crossing its fingers that he returns in three weeks at the Memorial, which is on the network's broadcast schedule.

Tiger Still On Schedule To Miss Fifth Of Four Majors

Mark Soltau reports that Tiger hasn't ruled out an appearance at the Memorial.

And speaking of the fifth of four majors, I didn't even to launch the annual fifth major watch before Dave Shedloski had to go and file the gem of all fifth major stories, with Tiger asking: "Is the fifth major my fifth major?" Hit the link to find out his answer. I know you're anxious to find out.

What Would Tiger's Handicap Be?

Reader Chema passed along this computation of Tiger's handicap by the folks at the Golf Association of Philadelphia.

"Listen to the commentators? No, never."

From Larry Stewart in today's L.A. Times Morning Briefing:

Fox Sports Radio's Steve Czaban last week asked Woods: "Do you TiVo tournaments you're in, then go back and look at them afterward, maybe take notes, notice something, listen to what the announcers are saying?"

Said Woods: "I usually have my secretary get a copy of the telecasts from the PGA Tour and I'll take a look at it just from the swing standpoint, yeah."

Czaban: "Just the swing, though. You really won't sit down and . . . "

Woods: "Listen to the commentators? No, never."

"I hear the club might be making some changes next year to give us a break."

Thanks to reader Chris for noting Tiger Woods' newsletter comments where he reiterates what he said to a D.C. radio station about his belief that Augusta National will be undoing some of the course changes:

The course was very difficult. I didn't hear as many roars as I usually hear, especially on the weekend. It did play like a U.S. Open course, which is fine. But I think the galleries are used to seeing birdies and eagles. On Sunday, the way the wind was blowing, it was tough to make pars. I hear the club might be making some changes next year to give us a break. We'll see what happens.

Tiger Knee Talk

I was chatting with a fellow writer today about Tiger Woods' injury and the accusation made by Derek Lawrenson.  You may recall that Lawrenson suggested the press obediently reported his 4-6 week recovery time without skepticism about the severity of his knee condition.

Or maybe Tiger just doesn't really like to play that often anymore?

The rehab provides him a nice window to rest up and prepare for the U.S. Open while skipping Wachovia and The Players, two courses he's probably seen enough of (really, how many times can you say they're "all right in front of you"?).

Interestingly, Thomas Bonk speculates in the L.A. Times that Woods is not likely for the Memorial either and Bonk usually is spot on when it comes to guessing Tiger's schedule.

I find it hard to believe Tiger would not want one tune up event prior to Torrey Pines, but as Bonk points out, the weather at Memorial and the chance for a knee re-injury might scare him away.

Meanwhile Golf World's Tim Rosaforte files a lengthy piece on Tiger's knee. He points out the sensitive subject of whether Tiger tweaked the knee during his awkward PGA Championship fist pump, and also brings up something I've been wondering about: can Tiger really continue to keep running on the back streets of Isleworth?

Being in Las Vegas allowed him to check in with strength coach Keith Kleven, who is based there. According to sources, Kleven has been working with Woods for some time, rehabbing the knee and trying to get the game's best player to cut back on his running and heavy training -- not to mention high-impact activities such as parachuting and skiing ("the ballistic workouts," Bradley calls them), which Woods enjoys. The golfer has listened. He did not go on his annual Christmas-break trip to the slopes. In this period Woods' productivity has not suffered -- but his pain level has not subsided. Now begins the tediousness of rehab. As Woods said on his website, "The upside is I've been through this process before and I know how to handle it."

"The American press obediently reported it like he was having a routine operation."

For a good chuckle read Derek Lawrenson's doting account of Monty's wedding. A teaser:

For all the unrivalled splendour of the setting — whoever heard of two unbroken days of sunshine on the bonnie banks in April, for Heaven's sake? — and the lavish financial outlay, the most memorable thing about the day was the unforced happiness.

What really makes it fun though is the item a few slots below it on Tiger's knee:

So, what do we make of the fact that a supreme athlete like Tiger Woods requires six weeks to get over arthroscopic knee surgery?

The American press obediently reported it like he was having a routine operation. But if footballers are back playing a fortnight after having cartilages repaired through arthroscopic surgery, how standard can the procedure be when Woods needs three times that length of recuperation before he can play golf?

Obediently reported?

Well, based on that account of Monty's wedding, he would know about that kind of reporting.

"The golf course is just set up too hard."

Thanks to reader Mark for transcribing and providing a link to Tiger Woods' radio interview with a Washington D.C. radio show to following his surgery and this year's Masters. The comments are his most revealing yet regarding the state of Augusta National.

"The golf course is just set up too hard. I've heard a lot of people say that the Masters has kind of lost its identity...it used to be on the back nine Sunday you'd hear the roars and have things happen...it's evolving into more of the US Open type fo mentality as a player. You have to grind it out, try to make more pars, then sprinkle a birdie here and there instead of being more aggressive. I think the last year where we've seen guys go low was the year [2004] we saw Phil come from behind to shoot 32 or 31 on the back nine. Other than that, the golf course has just gotten too hard."

Q: "Would you dare ever go to someone in a green jacket and say, 'You know, maybe you ought to try this--"

Tiger: "All players have, a lot of the past champions have. Augusta makes their own policies, they do what they want to do and a lot of times that's great for the game of golf and I think they might have just made the course just a little bit more difficult. I heard they're making some changes for next year so maybe that might facilitate some lower scores."

"He only plays about 15 times a year anyway"

A wire story on surprise and shock at news of Tiger's knee surgery includes this comment from Tim Clark:

"He only plays about 15 times a year anyway," Tim Clark said. "So it's not going to do a lot" to affect the PGA Tour.

Last year Woods played in 16 official events, meaning that if he misses the Wachovia and Players, he's likely going to have to add one event this year to maintain full membership privileges.

Four playoff events this time, perhaps?

Steve Eubanks posts a Yahoo piece on the prospects for Tiger's recovery as well as what he might face in the future.

Tiger Has Knee Surgery Just In Time To Jeopardize Appearance In Fifth Of Four Majors

Thanks to reader Chuck for sending the news that Tiger Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee and is scheduled to be out 4-6 weeks. The Commish weighs in:

"Of course, we're disappointed when Tiger is unable to compete in a PGA TOUR event," Finchem said. "He's the No. 1 player in the world and a fan favorite wherever he goes. There is really never a good time for an athlete - especially one of Tiger's caliber - to take weeks off from competition during the season, but his health concerns have to come first.

Even if it threatens his chances of playing in The Players Championship.

"We wish him the best toward a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to the TOUR when he is ready and able to compete."

And we hope it's really, really soon. 

Stevie Reprimanded For Going Hatless

Thanks to reader Mark for this Reuters story about Steve Williams and his mysterious decision to remove his Masters green cap during part of Saturday's third round.

According to several caddie sources, Williams went several holes hatless before he was approached by a tournament official on the course and instructed to put his cap back on yesterday.

Williams complied and had the green cap, part of the official caddie uniform at the Masters, on his head during today's final round at Augusta National as Woods finished second, three shots behind Trevor Immelman.

"If I've got to wear the cap, everybody's got to wear the cap," said one caddie, speaking anonymously.

"Every caddie has heard about what he did and nobody approves of it. Some of these people forget they're just a caddie.

"It should be an honour to come to the Masters. If you don't want to wear a hat, don't come. Believe it or not, the tournament will still go on without you."

It's not the first time Williams has failed to follow a tournament's dress code.

No, really? Our Stevie?

Two years ago at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan, where caddies also have to wear Masters-style white overalls, Williams peeled them down to his waist.

Williams caddied that way for several rounds until Mark Steinberg, Woods' manager, told him that it was disrespectful to the tournament.

"His aura is also propagated by the American media, for whom the word sycophantic barely scratches the surface."

Martin Johnson on Tiger's relationship with the U.S. media...tough, but funny!

His aura is also propagated by the American media, for whom the word sycophantic barely scratches the surface. When a fellow golfer (Phil Mickelson, Rory Sabbatini, Fuzzy Zoeller, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia) says something Woods doesn't much care for, they are all sentenced to a spell of 'purdah' on the back of Woods' intolerance of any kind of inference that he might be mortal.

He is never criticised for this by the American press, some of whom are handpicked for having their own egos massaged by the man himself. Those reporters who are onside with Woods are rewarded by being addressed by name at a press conference. To those that are not, he finds a way of conveying that the question is being asked by someone a couple of clubs short of a full set.

"You don't really shoot low rounds here anymore."

Mike Tirico left his post at Butler Cabin to talk to Tiger Woods after his even par 72. (Zach Johnson and Justin Rose came into Butler.)

A few of Tiger's notable comments:

"You don't really shoot low rounds here anymore. You've just got to plod along."

And...

"It's playing more like a U.S. Open than a Masters."

He also noted he only heard one roar. Other than that he loves the changes!

"Why bother trying?"

I normally don't pay attention when non-golf folks dare to write about golf, but in the case of Tiger and his peers seemingly being afraid of the man, I think Bill Plaschke's outsider take is worth noting. I'm not quite sold on this data though:

At least one study has shown that other golfers' fear of Woods is not only palpable, but measurable.

According to eight years of data collected by Jennifer Brown, a doctorate candidate in agricultural and resource economics at California, tour regulars average nearly a stroke higher in tournaments that include Woods.

Brown formulated her theory in a paper titled "Quitters Never Win: The (Adverse) Incentive Effect of Competing With Superstars."

She discovered a .80 stroke differential when golfers are confronted by Woods, a number that rises during periods when Woods is hot, and decreases during those rare times when he is perceived to be in a slump.

"This shows that if you are competing against an opponent you believe will win, you think, 'Why bother trying?' " said Brown, whose study has been embraced by several national media outlets.
 

"The Tony Stewart of New Zealand"

Somehow I doubt even Tony Stewart went this far, but ESPN is treating Tiger's sunny caddy Stevie Williams as if he's died. Check out this devotional page to the loaded looper sent in by reader Lee.

So good to see Stevie is as humble as ever.

Here, Steve Williams is the star. Though his team is called "Caddyshack Racing" and a sticker on each of his two cars reads "HOOK A KID ON GOLF," Tiger is far from his mind.

"I hate when I go to a race and I'm looked at as Tiger's caddie, because here, I'm not Tiger's caddie. I'm Steve Williams, driver of the No. 21 Mustang," he says. "And a pretty damn good driver at that."

If you're unusually constipated or simply desiring to see what a good publicist can do, here's ESPN's sitdown with the world's wealthiest luggage handler.