The Scheduling And Financial Ramifications Of Tiger's "Return"

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Bob Harig has all sorts of tidbits in this ESPN.com about Tiger's schedule in the wake of his respectable showing at the Hero World Challenge.

There was this gem of a quote from Mark Steinberg, who no doubt has seen some UAE numbers pop up on his phone screen and is enjoying .

"My phone was pretty heated this week leading up to the first round,'' Steinberg said Friday at Albany Golf Club, where the second round of the Hero World Challenge was underway. "But it went from heated to hot.

Heated to hot!

Tiger seems likely to start 2017 in Abu Dhabi or the Omega Dubai Desert Classic (January 30-February 5th) depending on the appearance fee winner and other dynamics (can a Rolex man take Omega's money, or does Shaikh Mohammed have final say?).

There is also the question of Tiger's willingness to fly across the world to reach Torrey Pines in time for the Farmers while asking a lot of his surgically repaired back.

With the Woods Foundation running and benefiting from the rebranded Genesis Open at Riviera, the Dubai option would allow for a week off after Dubai and more sensible start to the season. Tiger would also be able to make his return to Los Angeles even grander by making it his first domestic start.

Harig makes this point about scheduling influences and differences for Woods.

Regardless of what Woods chooses to do, it is unlikely he will be eligible for the WGC-Mexico Championship or the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship, meaning he might play in some events he normally does not play. Woods is likely to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he has won eight times.

The story also delves into Tiger's more promising leverage in negotiating equipment deals, with Harig predicting Bridgestone as his first choice for a golf ball.

Finally, there is the timing of Tiger's return and the big ratings that came with it: the PGA Tour is believed to be ready to re-open their weekend television rights. Commissioner Ironclad steps down December 31st and hands Jay Monahan the keys to the PGA Tour Citation, re-working the weekend television rights may be priority number one. A resurgent Tiger certainly improves their leverage after dreadful fall ratings and mostly flat or down weekend numbers in 2016.

But will the major networks or potential new blood in the streaming world be enticed to pay more given Tiger's spotty playing record?

Roundup: Tiger's 24-Birdie, Final Round 76-Shooting Week Back

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As we noted today on Morning Drive in assessing the reation to Tiger's week, the views on his return seem to be split between respectful empathy celebrating the obvious positives, to continued apathy over an imperfect performance. But how could any golfer expect perfection after surgeries, yips and even signs of stage fright?

Both Doug Ferguson and Steve DiMeglio worked the red shirt into their ledes and then assessed.

Ferguson for the AP:

Woods showed no stress in his swing or in walking five straight rounds, starting with the pro-am. He had plenty of length, at times going after his driver with a little more pop to clear a bunker. He holed a few long putts . He missed a few short ones. At times, he looked like he had never been away for that long.

And at times it did.

After a lede with Rickie Fowler celebrating the return of the red shirt, DiMeglio for USA Today in nearly identical words to Ferguson's:

His return to competitive golf after an absence of nearly 16 months — which included two surgeries to his troublesome back — was a success on nearly all counts as the positives far outweighed the negatives. This despite the final-round 76 and the final-hole double bogey as he finished 15th in the elite 17-man field, 14 shots behind Hideki Matsuyama, who won at 18 under and was two clear of Henrik Stenson. It was Matsuyama’s fourth victory in five starts and he was a staggering 90 under during that stretch.

Bob Harig for ESPN.com offered a measured tone in an overall positive take that also included assessments from Tiger's last two instructors pre-Chris Como:

"I really like how much longer his backswing is -- especially with the driver,'' said Sean Foley, Woods' former coach. "I like that his lower body and pelvis are moving more. The movement is not restricted; it is much more free. He looks great.''

Another former coach, Haney Haney, said: "The swing is smooth; there are no apparent issues.''

Golf World's Jaime Diaz offered this:

Most of all, there was a palpable and overdue ease to his game. Woods looked leaner, which seemed to aid in more swinging of the clubhead and less straining of the body. Along with his speed, he had rhythm and flow and balance. Technically, his stance was narrower, posture taller, hip turn bigger and his once rigid left leg softer through impact. There seemed to be less thinking over the ball, and more of a subconscious freedom.

Jeff Babineau in Golfweek's on-site assessment was broken into five areas of interest related to Woods' game:

But he showed he has plenty of game. Sure, four rounds isn’t very much to go on. But with more chances to compete and if he can get back to some semblance of a normal schedule, Woods should be able not only to contend again, but win again.

Definitely.

Mark Cannizzaro in the New York Post:

Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, had a modest goal for his man for the week.

“I thought it was good, a lot of positives,’’ LaCava said. “He’s upright, No. 1. Seriously. You laugh, but I think that’s good. I love the fact that he was hitting a lot of shots that he was kind of picturing in his mind. There were a few loose ones, obviously, but he hit plenty of good shots, plenty of good things to take away from it. And he made some putts.

“The fact that’s he’s making birdies is a good sign. I wasn’t going to compare him to the rest of the field. It’s a great field, they’ve been playing all year and they’ve all been playing great.

Michael Bamberger writing for Golf.com:

No player made more birdies than Woods over the four rounds -- he had 24 of them -- and nobody had more double bogeys than Woods, who had six, half of them on the par-4 18th. Woods's has been the greatest closer in golf history, but those three doubles suggest a certain mental frailty.
That's golf. You can say whatever you want to yourself and to reporters and to your caddie but the little boxes on a scorecard leave no room for self-talk.

Gary Koch broke down Tiger's swing on the broadcast and it's worth a look.

From the detractor side, Brandel Chamblee on Golf Central (16 minute mark) didn't see an improvement in the swing or chip yips Woods has suffered.

Video: The Wild(life) Hazards Of Leopard Creek

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This European Tour page has a nice roundup of the various (amazing) wildlife videos shot during last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship.

With Leopard Creek Country Club on the border of Kruger National Park, the wildlife stood out as Brandon Stone took the title. In fact, Stone can be seen here taking in the majestic creatures during the final round:

Only in South Africa... #DunhillChamps 🇿🇦

A video posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on Dec 4, 2016 at 3:10am PST

 

First Look: New 7th At Royal Portrush

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Welcome the busy and talented design firm of Ebert and Mackenzie to Instagram by following and checking out the first glimpse of their Royal Portrush renovation.

The firm is adding two holes to a course currently ranked 13th by Golf Magazine's esteemed panel.

We saw a preview of the planned changes here. While many of us feared tinkering with a classic to create a tent city on the current 17th and 18th, adding two holes was the only way for The Open to cone to Northern Ireland. Furthermore, losing the 17th hole's massive fairway bunker was a shame but it seems "Big Nellie" has surfaced at the new 572-yard 7th:

Jack Nicklaus To Verne Lundquist: Yes Sir!

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With Verne Lundquist working his last SEC game, huge college football fan Jack Nicklaus joined the long list of those serenading the veteran CBS announcer.

Nicklaus even threw in a "Yes, sir!" to end his salute. Though I still feel the "maybe" is essential to the call:

Woods Switched Back To His Scotty The Day Nike Quit The Equipment Business

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We know players make club switches to appease sponsors and face bag requirements. But most club companies ultimately trust a player to do what is best for their game if they are struggling. Tiger Woods has never been woeful on the greens. But before his layoff, he wasn't as good as he once was.

Given that Tiger Woods won 13 of 14 majors with his trusty Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter, his response to a question about switching back to it today prompted an uncharacteristically blunt answer.

From Will Gray's full item on this fascinating insider issue.

“The day that we (Nike) were no longer a part of the hard goods side,” Woods said when asked when he put his old putter back into play.

Brandel Chamblee was asked about his expectations for the weekend but instead noted that Woods has moved into a unique place where he can pick whatever he wants in his bag. But the question may now linger: why didn't one of the greatest players of all time and richest golfers in history have the freedom to putt with his trusty flatstick?