Thursday, May 03, 2001
Break for Tiger, black hole for golf
Masters to Nelson is 'dead zone'
The Associated Press
The four-week stretch after the Masters until the Byron Nelson Classic often is referred to as the “dead zone” on the PGA Tour. It's a time when compelling competition gets lost amid questions about the strength of the fields.
It's when Tiger Woods takes a month off.
While Woods was arranging the trophies from his four consecutive major championships, Jose Coceres, a 37-year-old Argentine who learned to play golf with branches and rocks, was winning at Hilton Head.
Hal Sutton wore a wind-whipped look of fatigue as he gutted out a victory in the Houston Open, his sixth title since turning 40. Woods was wearing nothing but a skintight, black jumpsuit with reflective dots in a studio in Orlando, Fla., where EA Sports captured his every move for a new video game.
Scott Hoch was complaining his way to victory at Greensboro. Tiger was rocking with John Mellencamp in Las Vegas at his annual “Tiger Jam” charity concert.
David Duval, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Sutton give the Compaq Classic a good field this week at New Orleans, but Woods is not ready to return. The four-week break from golf is his longest of the year.
All of which makes one wonder — what would golf be like without Tiger Woods?
“Until the last few years with Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour spiking ratings, the ratings haven't been relevant to golf,” commissioner Tim Finchem said last week in defending declining ratings on the Senior Tour.
Now, Woods often helps golf draw a larger TV audience than the NBA.
“I'd like to win another major. I'm working hard on that. I imagine there's a lot of people working hard on that after Tiger's won all four of them,” Sutton said after his victory at Houston. Woods has won five of the past six majors, unprecedented in golf.
Indeed, what would golf be like without Tiger?
The possibilities are endless.
Davis Love III would have three more victories. Els would have two more ma jors. Mickelson would be No.1 in the world rankings, making him the undisputed best player in the world to have never won a major.
Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam would receive a lot more attention.
Nike would receive a lot less.
Mark O'Meara might not have found the motivation to win two majors at age 41 without having a new kid on the block to light the fire.
Jack Nicklaus would not show up at Augusta National and admit he can't compete with these guys.
Augusta wouldn't have rough.
The HealthSouth fitness trailer would be more crowded than the gym.
IMG agent Mark Steinberg would still represent the best player in golf — women's golf (Sorenstam).
No one would be talking about boycotting the Presidents Cup in South Africa next year.
There would be fewer cameras at PGA Tour events.
Steve Williams would still be on the bag for Raymond Floyd and could not afford to crash as often when he gets behind the wheel of his race car in New Zealand.
The race for the PGA Tour money title wouldn't be over in July.
Television wouldn't have to worry about placing microphones on the tee box.
Paul Tesori, the caddie for Vijay Singh, would have created controversy during the final day of matches at Presidents Cup by writing “David Who?” on the back of his cap.
The winners from the two PGA Championships at storied Valhalla Golf Club would be Mark Brooks and Bob May.
Lessons with Butch Harmon would be a lot cheaper.
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Break for Tiger, black hole for golf
