Okay, so did you actually think I’d be able to start an article about the Tour Championship without the headline being about Tiger’s return to the tour after his honeymoon with Elin?
Sure, there are other interesting stories. Take, for example, the Tour’s decision to add Padraig Harrington to the roster at the event. Usually, the Tour Championship is for the top thirty money-earners on the Tour. But, had Padraig actually played on the Tour this year, his $2.1 million would have been more than enough to secure him a spot in the tourney. How nice of the Tour to include him; he’s decided to return the good will, and join the PGA Tour as a full member in 2005. This is Padraig’s first year playing in the Tour Championship.
There’s Chad Campbell. Last year, he won his first tour victory at the Tour Championship. This year, he looks to repeat his historic victory – the first time a rookie won the Tour Championship – but has some healthy competition. More on that in a second, though.
Take the story of East Lake Golf Club – the club where Bobby Jones hit his first shot and his last golf shot. In and of itself, there’s a history to East Lake that makes other courses in the States blush, and places it in the books as one of the most important clubs in the country.
Or, take the story of the Tour Championship being the cap to a wonderful season by Vijay. What better way to end this year’s assault on Tiger than with a victory at East Lake?
Who am I kidding? It doesn’t matter that Vijay’s had a career-year, or that the course is a golf shrine, or even that the PGA Tour is reaching out to the Europeans even more. This is a weekend about Tiger: he’s back, and it’s time for the post-honeymoon speculation to begin.
This is a weekend about Tiger versus Vijay. Vijay’s play should have left all thought of Tiger from everyone’s mind this year, but of course it hasn’t. Here we are, wondering whether Tiger’s game will finally fall into place now that the wedding is behind him, instead of asking whether Vijay can actually lose a match. (Just to spark your memory, he’s 6-2 over the last eight events. That’s not cuts made, or top-five finishes. That’s wins, folks. No, that’s domination.)
Bring on the speculation, and the comparisons and the circus that is any event with Tiger. We’ve missed him. Welcome back.