Australian Masters

[michaeljames92]

Well It starts tomorrow with many big names in Aussie golf and from around the world with the inclusion of Tiger for a $3 Million dollar appearance fee. Who are people's tips to take it out?

I have my money on Tiger(obviously) and Michael Sim to have good weeks.

[KGC]

Would be great to see a final group of tiger, ogilvy and Scott. Looking forward to playing at Kingston Heath later on this year.

[microcrayfish]

Well It starts tomorrow with many big names in Aussie golf and from around the world with the inclusion of Tiger for a $3 Million dollar appearance fee. Who are people's tips to take it out?

$100,000 of money? Cause according to this article:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s...ow/5219103.cms , someone's dropped 100k on Tiger winning it all .

[KGC]

The Age was reporting odds as low as $1.03 on tiger winning.

[bruce]

Not sure if Tim Clark is playing,but if he is i think he might have a chance.You can't rule out Peter Senior though.

[microcrayfish]

The Age was reporting odds as low as $1.03 on tiger winning.

I know it's mostly because every man and his dog are probably betting on Tiger but that's just stupid for a golf tournament. A similar thing happened here when Tiger played the NZ Open back in 2002 along with a similar huge appearance fee and he didn't even contend. And I'll bet there were nowhere near as many big names at the NZ Open as there will be at the Australian Masters.

[dummyisdumb]

Guess who's in the lead!

[misty_mountainhop]

...with the inclusion of Tiger for a

Sorry, but that's obscene. Put the money in the pot...if he's good enough (no argument there really), surely he should be asked to win it rather than just be given it for showing up?

[FHopper]

The three mil is bothering me too. I could see paying his expenses to get him there. He ought to be willing, at this point in his career, to show up at places like this as an ambassador of golf. He needs to spend a lot of time promoting golf around the world while he is still the undisputed #1.

[Shorty]

Sorry, but that's obscene. Put the money in the pot...if he's good enough (no argument there really), surely he should be asked to win it rather than just be given it for showing up?

Tiger could get 3 Million dollars every day for playing if he wanted it. The money which the STATE GOVERNMENT paid him has been widely recognised as being a great investment. The tournament was sold out a few days after his entry was confirmed. The interest in Tiger, the tournament and the amount of money being spent in Victoria in relation to it is huge.

They are not making the same mistake as they did in NZ a few years bag when a few businessmen tried to cash in and (hopefully) lost money. This was a great investment by the state of Victoria.

[pittpanther]

The three mil is bothering me too. I could see paying his expenses to get him there. He ought to be willing, at this point in his career, to show up at places like this as an ambassador of golf.

You're kidding, right? Tiger has no reason to care about being an "ambassador of golf" in a place like Australia, which I assume has a thriving golf economy given that there are several Aussie players on the PGA Tour.

He needs to spend a lot of time promoting golf around the world while he is still the undisputed #1.

Why, exactly, should Tiger bear the brunt of this? Shouldn't "promoting golf" be something sponsored by the PGA, or some other organization?

[pingman]

more of the fans than none should be rooting for tiger, and well, it's of course no surprise.....i'm rooting for mathew goggin, he did pretty good today, hopefully he can keep it up....you never know, the way 2009 has been going with winners, it really can be anyone's tournament

[KGC]

Looks like Nitties is in good shape after Day 1 and he was playing behind Woods, hope he can hang on.

By the way, IMG stumped up half the cash for the appearence fee for Woods, they also 'own' the tourney. As an aside I wish we didn't have to pay the money for an appearence fee but he is a free agent and it is clear he wasn't going to arrive off his own steam. Golf in Oz has been anonymous of late and this will hopefully generate some interest in the broader community.

[lobsterzilla]

the fact that any of you think tiger "owes" anything to golf or to us is frankly astounding ...

[FHopper]

RE Tiger
I apparently believe him to be a greater man than some of you do. The more he can do for golf the better shape golf will be in for the next generation. I believe him to be a truly great American, not some self serving athlete. With golf now in the Olympics I expect him do do everything he can for the good of the game.

[Chilli Dipper]

Looking beyond the #1 player in the world, the other Villegas brother (that's Manuel) is currently 3 shots off the lead.

[MSDOGS1976]

Uhhh they are willing to pay it. Should he say 'no, keep it'?

[misty_mountainhop]

Tiger could get 3 Million dollars every day for playing if he wanted it. The money which the STATE GOVERNMENT paid him has been widely recognised as being a great investment. The tournament was sold out a few days after his entry was confirmed. The interest in Tiger, the tournament and the amount of money being spent in Victoria in relation to it is huge.

It may well have been a good investment but it doesn't alter the fact that it's obscene.