Golf getting over its Tiger dependency
LOS ANGELES Tiger Woods skipped his hometown tournament for the first time in 2002 to recover from remnants of a virus. That prompted a Los Angeles Times columnist to ask a question to players at Riviera: Why would anyone come out to watch if Tiger isn’t playing?
Among the victims that day were defending champion Robert Allenby (“Then don’t come — go home”) and two-time Riviera champion Fred Couples (“That’s crazy. That’s the most ridiculous question I have ever heard”). The players’ irritation was understandable. Fifteen years ago, Woods was golf. A year earlier, he had become the first to sweep the four majors. It seemed all anyone cared about was Tiger Woods.
Now? The question, while reasonable, no longer seems as relevant.
“I’m here, and I’m insulted that’s not enough,” Paul Casey said, the sarcasm easily detectable through his laughter.
Why watch? The simple answer is because Riviera is as good as any course the PGA Tour plays, and the field at the Genesis Open is the strongest of the year. Jordan Spieth is coming off a victory at Pebble Beach. Jason Day is trying to keep Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama from taking his No. 1 world ranking. While Woods is No. 693 in the world, what matters far more is that he spent 683 weeks at No. 1 in the world ranking. That record, much like his 142 consecutive cuts, are likely to never be touched.
His absence at Riviera is jarring only as it relates to the future. Questions have shifted from how he will fare when — or if — he can play again. Golf has become used to tournaments without Woods. So why watch? “Fifteen years ago ... I wouldn’t say there was no reason. You still had great players,” Pat Perez said. “But you didn’t have anyone like Tiger at that time. But golf, in my opinion, has totally changed. Tiger is such an ‘if ’ that I don’t think we’ll see him for six months.
“Jordan, Jason and all these young kids winning, they’re taking over.”