The PGA Tour Without Tiger

Certainly one of the most dramatic, riveting victories in professional golf history occurred at the US Open this past June, when Tiger Woods, playing essentially on one leg, captured the coveted title.

We of course didn’t know the extent of the injury he was suffering through until after the contest. Nor did we realize that he had been enduring pain in playing for some time before the Open. Naturally, the facts that came to light after the tournament made his accomplishments in this year of 2008 even more remarkable.

Now, in the aftermath of Tiger’s surgery and with the specter of a long rehabilitation looming, the PGA Tour must go forward and attempt to maintain a level of excitement and anticipation in the game of professional golf that was easily attained when Tiger was playing, but might not be quite so easily maintained while he is not.

Consider these facts. More than two months, at the time of this writing, since Woods last played, he leads in regular season Fedex Cup points after having entered only 6 events. The player in second place, Kenny Perry, entered 22 events. He maintains the world number one position with a rating of 17.99, nearly double the total of the second place player, Phil Mickelson, who has 9.95. And with those mere 6 events, he still leads the money list at the time of this writing with $5,775,000, over a million dollars more than Phil Mickelson, who’s played in 17 events.

Tiger Woods brings to the game a laser-like focus combined with talent that is almost surreal. His presence guarantees huge paying spectators and usually also guarantees high drama on the golf course. And there are the intangibles that he brings to the mix. When Tiger is there, others are prodded to raise the level of their games, to try to jump that high bar that Woods has raised.

Without that prodding, the level of play on the PGA Tour sags a bit. Without that presence, a little more complacency sets in. We are all at our best when we are challenged and driven to produce our best efforts.

It is unfortunate that the Fedex Cup will be without golf’s greatest player this year. It is doubly unfortunate that America’s team at the Ryder Cup this fall will also lack the intimidating presence of Tiger Woods. This will make it necessary that the rest of the team kicks it up a notch and fills the void.

This is not to say that Tiger is the only bulb in the fixture. Certainly, the Fedex Cup and the Ryder Cup are populated with some of the greatest players in the game. But it is definitely a detriment when the world’s number one player is not present.

The aftermath of injuries and surgery such as Tiger’s are always filled with uncertainties. Hopefully, Woods will rehabilitate intelligently and not force the issue. If he does not, the ramifications are dismal. The condition could become chronic and seriously affect his drive to become the greatest ever. I would submit that he already is, since he’s accomplished an incredible amount against fields that are stronger than ever before in history. However, there came to light during the US Open something that I hadn’t been aware of. It was that snapping back motion of his left leg at impact, a move that probably brought on the injury in the first place. He’ll no doubt have to modify that violent move in order for the surgery to be successful long term.

The PGA Tour will be the poorer while Tiger is away. Nonetheless, if he rehabilitates successfully and returns at the level he achieved before the injury, his drive toward the record for major titles and overall titles will continue to invigorate the game and escalate interest in golf. And, like the greats before him, he will inspire those who will become his future rivals.