Out of the Woods
May 6th 2008 20:34
Do you miss Tiger Woods yet? Thought not.
Woods plays so little on the PGA Tour (the bare minimum really) you get used to not seeing him. Normally he'd be lining up at this week's Players Championship at Sawgrass but is recovering from knee surgery.
He's apparently healing OK from his third bout of knee surgery and is due back just before the US Open next month.
In the interim the rest of the tour are rubbing their hands with glee thinking they've got a better chance than usual to win a big event.
At the same time though they will be wishing Woods a speedy recovery as well as long and healthy future. For the irony is that the journeyman players will make more money in the long run if Woods stays fit and successful.
That's because Woods' presence alone drives up television ratings (you only have to look at ratings for events he's not playing) and those spikes in ratings in turn drive the TV companies to pay ridiculous sums for the rights to broadcast tournaments in which Woods is playing.
That money filters back to the players in the form of increased prize money which is augmented by increased sponsorship.
Woods is the engine that drives golf's fiscal bus.
Before Woods came along a decade ago, prize money in golf was decent. Now, in the Woods' era, it's indecent.
If Woods should suffer any serious injury and be forced to retire prematurely golf will be looking at void which may not ever be filled.
Who could replace Woods as a drawcard? Phil Mickleson without Woods to spar against is just a chubby guy with a pretty good game - he sure as hell ain't going to drive up ratings.
The answer eventually might lie with Asian players whose success can push up interest in golf in China and India. We've already had an indication of this with the US Masters organisers' decision to invite lowly-ranked Asian players to Augusta in an effort to boost ratings in those countries.
Apart from KJ Choi (who is not exactly charismatic) there are no top drawer Asian players on the US Tour. Anthony Kim, who won last week, looks Asian but is American through and through and could have the right mix of ethnicity and game to be the most exciting player in the generation after Woods.
He could be the answer, as post-Woods golf will need a player to transcend all markets just as Woods has done with his brilliance, charm and racially balanced make-up.
In the meantime golf will have to hope and pray Woods stays in one piece and takes just the right amount to hunt down Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.
Woods plays so little on the PGA Tour (the bare minimum really) you get used to not seeing him. Normally he'd be lining up at this week's Players Championship at Sawgrass but is recovering from knee surgery.
He's apparently healing OK from his third bout of knee surgery and is due back just before the US Open next month.
In the interim the rest of the tour are rubbing their hands with glee thinking they've got a better chance than usual to win a big event.
At the same time though they will be wishing Woods a speedy recovery as well as long and healthy future. For the irony is that the journeyman players will make more money in the long run if Woods stays fit and successful.
That's because Woods' presence alone drives up television ratings (you only have to look at ratings for events he's not playing) and those spikes in ratings in turn drive the TV companies to pay ridiculous sums for the rights to broadcast tournaments in which Woods is playing.
That money filters back to the players in the form of increased prize money which is augmented by increased sponsorship.
Woods is the engine that drives golf's fiscal bus.
Before Woods came along a decade ago, prize money in golf was decent. Now, in the Woods' era, it's indecent.
If Woods should suffer any serious injury and be forced to retire prematurely golf will be looking at void which may not ever be filled.
Who could replace Woods as a drawcard? Phil Mickleson without Woods to spar against is just a chubby guy with a pretty good game - he sure as hell ain't going to drive up ratings.
The answer eventually might lie with Asian players whose success can push up interest in golf in China and India. We've already had an indication of this with the US Masters organisers' decision to invite lowly-ranked Asian players to Augusta in an effort to boost ratings in those countries.
Apart from KJ Choi (who is not exactly charismatic) there are no top drawer Asian players on the US Tour. Anthony Kim, who won last week, looks Asian but is American through and through and could have the right mix of ethnicity and game to be the most exciting player in the generation after Woods.
He could be the answer, as post-Woods golf will need a player to transcend all markets just as Woods has done with his brilliance, charm and racially balanced make-up.
In the meantime golf will have to hope and pray Woods stays in one piece and takes just the right amount to hunt down Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.
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