GREEN MONSTER
Tiger’s back to amp up the drama at Augusta
It’s a good time to be coming to Augusta.
The greatest golfers in the world all seem to be hitting their strides before the Masters. ESPN and CBS would likely be set up for a ratings success, but it can go beyond that if Tiger Woods is at or near the top of the leaderboard next week.
“There’s no comparison. It’s a whole other level of interest when Tiger is in contention,” ESPN analyst Andy North said.
“People love to see what he’s going to do one way or the other. We’ve missed that the past three or four years. You can’t count on a guy that’s 42 years old to carry your business very long, but at the same time it sure is fun watching him compete and there sure [are] a lot of people out there that want to see it.”
At the Presidents Cup in September, Woods talked about the possibility of never playing again. Then there was a cautious optimism from fans when he returned seemingly pain-free to where we are now just wondering if he still wears the same size Green Jacket.
“I think we’re all familiar with the bump in ratings you get when Tiger is in contention,” Sean McManus, the chairman of CBS Sports, said. “I wouldn’t use the word ‘important,’ but it would be nice if he is on the leaderboard and in contention on Saturday and Sunday. But I don’t think our Masters telecast will live or die with the presence of Tiger Woods.”
Woods has finished fifth, second and 12th his past three tournaments to heighten expectations, but other top players also have raised their games. Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson (twice) all have earned victories over the past five weeks.
“I’ve had 33 years broadcasting the Masters and it’s always highly anticipated, but this is probably the most anticipated Masters any of us have seen in our lifetime,” CBS’ Jim Nantz said. “There’s a lot that factors into that statement. It’s the fact that Phil won for the first time in five years, Rory shot 64 in the final round of Bay Hill and now goes to Augusta trying to close out the career grand slam. … You look at all the powers of the sport and almost all of them are peaking.”
But, does it all come back to Woods? Ratings have exploded in the recent weeks he has been in contention. But last year’s dramatic Sunday duel between Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose — two of the top players in the sport — pro- duced the Masters’ lowest final-round ratings in 13 years.
Aside from Woods’ immense popularity that dates back to his PGA Tour arrival more than 20 years ago, his is now a story of redemption. The womanizing, crippling back injuries and most recently a prescription-pillinduced DUI have knocked him far off the lofty pedestal he was on when he was racking up major after major in his prime. It’s humanized him, making him easier for some to love and others to hate.
“It’s a little bit like when Michael Jordan came back to play basketball,” North said. “You’ve got a guy who has been away that’s been the prominent player in your sport for a number of years and he’s struggled through some personal things.
“As good as these younger players have been there hasn’t been that guy that takes over. You’ve had one guy for six months, another guy for eight months, another guy for a year. People love to see a dominant player, to root for him or against him. Couple that with him being an older guy, who has gone through the injuries, the personal stuff, I think people are intrigued to see what he’s going to do.”