"Why golf fans can't let go of the promise of Tiger Woods"

Golf.com's Michael Bamberger looks at hype surrounding Tiger's return I'd recommend even though I do not agree with it--I can't let go of the promise!

He writes:

It’s not entirely our fault, our inability to let go. For one thing, it’s human nature. (Who among us has not Googled our high-school prom date?) More to the point, though, Woods tells us so little about what’s going on in his life that we must fill in blanks on our own. And being the good-natured people we are we imagine Woods spending his days on the range and his nights watching old Hogan tapes. All that likely suits Woods and his handlers just fine. Anyway, it feels good to think something lost can be recovered. The truth is: What is misplaced can be recovered. But what is lost is lost.

Hey, it's not lost until it's lost! So with that profound thought, here is Patrick Reed's assessment after a Monday practice round with Woods, via Steve DiMeglio in the USA Today:

“It will take time for him to get back to his normal ways,” Reed said. “A year ago he seemed like he came back a little early. This time I think he gave himself a little bit more time and built himself up more. From what I saw from him today, as long as his body holds up, I don’t see anything holding him back. His putting stroke looked good, his chipping looked solid, he was hitting it long and both ways. He seemed to have command not only of his swing but his body.

“With what I saw today, he’s going to be rusty. That’s going to happen to anybody. There are going to be some great stretches, some not so great stretches. But he’ll figure it out somehow. And when he does, I can’t wait to see it.”