By IAN O'CONNOR
The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Tiger Woods was supposed to be bigger than Buddha, greater than Gandhi and mightier than Mandela, an agent of change so powerful, his father once suggested, he would make all guardians of injustice cower in his wake. If fame often inspires folly - John Lennon claimed the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ - it also encourages the kind of discussion Woods briefly joined Tuesday, a Masters debate unartfully dodged by golf's cowardly lions, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

"Everyone here knows my opinion," Woods said at his Augusta National news conference. "Should (women) become members, or should they be members? Yes."

This wasn't the first time Woods drew his line in the sand trap, taking a stand on Augusta's gentlemen-only membership policy that neither Palmer nor Nicklaus has had the nerve to take. On social and political fronts, Tiger is hardly Arthur Ashe; heck, he's not even Steve Nash. But it should be noted he's not quite Michael (Republicans Buy Sneakers, Too) Jordan, either.

"Tiger said women belong here?" Gary Player asked inside the clubhouse, unaware of Tiger's statements. "I thought I was the lone man in the wilderness. That enhances my feeling of Tiger as a great role model for the game and as someone who has compassion for people."

Player had just finished saying what his fellow icons would not, explaining why Hootie Johnson should recruit Condoleezza Rice, Sandra Day O'Connor, Nancy Lopez, etc. "You have 300 million viewers and 100 million of them are women," Player said. "Women have a great feeling for this place. ... Why offend them by not offering them a chance to belong? It's a private club, but it's part of the public, too."

Amen Corner to that.

Sure, Woods could've said more about the He-Man Woman Hater's Club. Even while lending his blind focus to the pursuit of threepeat history, Woods could've deleted his reminder that he doesn't "have a vote in how they run this golf course" and expanded on his reminder that his position is a matter of public record.

Instead of joking, most inappropriately, that Johnson "had some kind of connections with the military because he dropped a couple of bunker-busting bombs" on the fifth hole, Woods could've assailed Johnson's connections with corporate power brokers finding women unworthy of the status earned through Augusta National dues.

But Tiger said enough and more than most. He's a 27-year-old honorary member who's shown more conviction than a certain 73-year-old full member and a certain 63-year-old full member, giants who didn't spend their primes raging against all-white country clubs and who have greeted reporters with gender-bender questions as if they were deputies serving court papers on their next 36-hole design.

Asked if a full membership would've compelled him to do more to change Augusta's policy, Woods said: "You would have a lot more say-so. But I think even Jack and Arnold, being members, I don't think they have as much say around here as people think."

Really? Then how did Jack and Arnold convince Johnson to dump the age limit he imposed last year on the senior citizen champs who showed up, basked in bygone glories and struggled to break 90?

Nicklaus and Palmer broke the club rules they said had stopped them from challenging the chairman's Jurassic judgment on women. After claiming they were powerless members forbidden from commenting on club affairs, the Sunshine Boys rode into Johnson's office and used their clout to recover their tee times.

What a joke. Nicklaus and Palmer only confronted Johnson on his age policy after months of Player protests. "I'd never tell anyone what to think," said Player, refusing to criticize Nicklaus and Palmer. "But I will say this: In my opinion, Augusta National will have a woman as a member."

In my opinion, Woods shouldn't be the legend on the spot until that time comes. Yes, Earl Woods saw in his kid someone who would change the world, rather than a bunker placement. But that's what fathers do: harbor the wildest dreams for their sons.

All I know is Tiger wants women in green blazers, pronto. Hootie, Jack and Arnold are scheduled to step to the mike Wednesday, and a lifetime supply of Girl Scout cookies goes to the first man in that threesome to say the same.