Posted by Jason Sobel
I'll admit it: I'm psyched for the rest of the PGA Tour season.
Don't get me wrong; I'd be similarly pumped if Tiger Woods were still healthy, still playing and still winning, but without him in the mix, the next three months are going to be extremely intriguing. We're taking a giant leap into the unknown this week, as the Buick Open represents the first tournament that was originally on Woods' schedule since the announcement that he'd be shutting it down for the remainder of the year.
It's sort of like we all jumped in the DeLorean, leaping back to the future in some respect. I mean, if Earl Woods had placed a tennis racket or hockey stick in his son's hands during the summer of '76 instead of a golf club, the pro ranks may very well look like the Tiger-free zone we're about to witness.
As for the rest of you? Well, I've received a few hundred e-mails in the past week and, honestly, I think you're split 50-50. Half of you are shutting it down with Tiger, claiming that if he can't play, you won't watch. The other half are in my camp, interested to see what a half-season without Woods will bring.
Let's take a look at 10 e-mails from each side, beginning with those who are no longer paying attention:
Doug in Albany, Ore.: "Tiger Woods is golf. When he is in the field, you see other golfers do things that they normally wouldn't try just to try to keep up with Tiger. Without Tiger golfing each week, it will be boring to watch. I know I won't watch another event at all this year."
Eric in Dundas, Minn.: "I'm a die-hard golf fan and a huge Tiger fan, but I certainly won't watch as much without Tiger in the mix. You never know what sort of magical moments he'll produce, as we witnessed at Torrey Pines. I'll watch the majors and the Ryder Cup because those are great events, but outside of that I won't watch as much. It will be like the NBA post-Michael Jordan. Every sport needs its megastar, and it's just not as exciting without him."
Fred in Baton Rouge, La.: "Although I like golf, I would probably fall into the "ardent supporter of Tiger Woods" camp. Let's face it: Golf just isn't as interesting or compelling without Tiger in the field. I will watch golf during the remainder of the season; however, that will most likely only include the remaining majors (British Open and PGA Championship). I will be most interested to see if players such as Phil [Mickelson], Sergio [Garcia] or Ernie [Els] can step up their game and grab one of those remaining two majors. (Especially since they know that when they tee it up, they won't have to give any thought to Tiger snatching another one from them; it's kind of like the peace of mind you have when you are able to walk down the hall in school without having to worry about the bully taking your lunch money.)"
Nick in Washington D.C.: "What's the point in watching? If I am going to watch golf, I want to see greatness and only one person is that: Tiger Woods. The tour is going to miss Tiger more than they realize."
Ryan in Roselle Park, N.J.: "Remember when Tiger said no one watches hockey anymore? Well, now no one is watching golf."
Mike in Chesapeake, Va.: "Now I can start getting some yard work done on the weekends, because I won't be watching Tiger!"
Chip in Bettendorf, Iowa: "I'm a huge golf fan. I like Tiger, but he doesn't have to win to make the event exciting. However, because he's so dominant, if he's not in the event, it's not exciting. The British is my favorite major, but without Tiger in the field, I won't be watching as much of the event. It's a shame, but without Tiger, the game just isn't the same."
Dan in Camp Hill, Pa.: "I am an avid golf fan, and even more avid Tiger fan. I hate to say it, but chances are I won't be scheduling my weekends around any golf tournament not involving Mr. Woods. That means the British Open, the PGA Championship, and even the Ryder Cup. I'll tune in ... but only if I have time. I think the FedEx Cup will be hurt the most here. Last year was a success only because Tiger won. This year, without him in the field for any of the playoff events, I see the ratings taking a serious nose dive. Here's to hoping Tiger's knee comes back stronger and healthier than ever before ... or golf could be in trouble."
Laura in Nashville, Tenn.: "I watch professional golf to watch the world's greatest player (ever), Tiger Woods. Without him, I will watch baseball and football. I am not interested in mediocre pro golf."
Ron in Norman, Okla.: "I have enjoyed golf since I was 13, when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Before Tiger, I watched the majors and kept up with golf as a casual observer because I am first and foremost a sports fan. Tiger makes it different. He entices me to watch non-majors. Maybe if Anthony Kim goes on a run of wins or Phil picks up his game I will still watch non-majors, but Tiger's loss probably means myself, and others, will find different ways to spend that time."
And here are 10 more from opposite point of view ...
Samantha in Grand Rapids, Mich.: "I don't believe that the people who watch golf merely for Tiger Woods are truly golf fans in that sense of the word. They are Tiger Woods fans. What are they going to do once he decides to retire? They are no longer going to watch golf and they will cease to be golf fans. I think if you are a golf fan, like I've become, then it's still going to be exciting even without Tiger Woods. I think you'll have plenty of golfers who will step up, eager to fill the void that he's left and they'll probably fail as Woods is just that good, but they will create exciting golf. There were examples of that at both the Byron Nelson and the Players and I think we'll continue to see more of that kind of golf as the year goes on."
Jeff in Centennial, Colo: "Of course I'll watch golf. While seeing if the King of the Mountain gets knocked off or holds his perch is great theater; the game's the thing. Especially the Ryder Cup; give me every stroke."
Mike in Long Beach, Calif.: "I'll watch. You never know when the next Rocco-lution will happen."
Brian in Santa Monica, Calif.: "When Lance Armstrong quit, many folks wondered the same thing about the Tour de France (which admittedly has much less of a viewership than any of the golf majors). Personally, I enjoyed watching Lance, but I also enjoyed watching the 2006 Tour de France, unfortunately marred by the Floyd Landis incident; the 2007 edition, with Contador getting one more win for Bruyneel; and whatever happens in 2008, I'll be watching that one, too. I have the same feeling about golf -- I'm a big Tiger fan, but I'll still be watching golf while he's out, hopefully getting back to 100 percent so he can wipe the floor with everybody again."
Drew in Knoxville, Tenn.: "Of course I'll still watch! I love Tiger Woods, but I love the game just as much! What's more, every player in the field now has a chance and we could see some really great golf in the later half of this year! Sergio, Scott, Rose, you're being paged ... it's now or never!"
Patrick in Novi, Mich.: "I'm a huge Tiger fan, and I love watching him hit every shot. He is the reason why I called in late to work in order to watch the end of the playoff at the Open, but I'll continue to watch to see if Phil or perhaps the Big Easy can step up and take charge this summer. Living in Michigan, it's too bad he won't be at our two events, but there are still quality golfers with a chance to shine before 2009 rolls around."
Scott in Charlotte, N.C.: "I am a golf fan. I read/watch golf quite a bit. I do feel sorry for Tiger and he will be missed. He is an amazing player, probably the best ever and a joy to watch. However, I would love a Tiger fan to back up that without Tiger golf won't be exciting. Was the British Open exciting last year? Was the Players Championship exciting this year? Was watching Mickelson birdie at Colonial exciting this year? They all were. You made a great point that golf has been around for a long time. What about the Ryder Cups before Tiger? They were very exciting to watch. I will watch golf this year and look forward to it. For you so-called golf fans that only watch when Tiger plays, have fun trying to find something else to watch this summer!"
Jake in Des Moines, Iowa: "I will continue to watch the PGA Tour, but admit it will be less entertaining without the best golfer in the world. I will mainly watch out of curiosity, to see what happens with a Tiger-less field."
Paul in Scranton, Pa.: "People who really like watching golf know that Tiger isn't the only one on tour who can play."
Justin in Carrollton, Texas: "I know what effect Tiger has had on the PGA Tour since he stepped on the scene and the incredible performances he's put on. But I also understand that Tiger is not the only guy out there on the tour giving it his best shot to win tournaments. I think because there really hasn't been any one guy currently on the tour who has just won like Tiger has or just made his presence known. But Tiger being off will give the other players on the tour [a chance] to stand out and garner more attention from the media and the fans. My [watching] of PGA tournaments will diminish a little with Tiger off, but I'll still try to keep informed with what's all going on."
Thanks for all the feedback, folks. It may only be a partially scientific study, but it seems like fans are split pretty evenly between those who are excited for the rest of the season and those who couldn't care less.
I know many of you have more comments on this, so hit the "comments" link on the bottom of this page and keep the discussion going.
