By failing to find a pass for Woods, PGA Tour has sabotaged its final event

[Valleygolfer]

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/...019406,00.html

Does anyone agree with this editorial? Does the fact that the #1 golfer is no able to play make the cup less interesting?

[golfro]

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/...019406,00.html

of course it makes it less interesting. In my opinion and probably most of the public's, the most exciting scenario for any event like this is the top player and the #2 player to contend. The most exciting scenario? Mickelson and Woods to play in playoff for the win.

Woods, regardless of if you're a fan or not, is THE star of the PGA tour. Without him, the general public could care less about golf.

[wagon b0y]

I'll be honest, i probably won't watch it. I like watching tiger play. I rather watch college football and the nfl that weekend.

[newtogolf]

At this moment I agree with it because Tiger is the face of golf for the general public. His absence from the tour championship leaves a huge void that only Phil currently comes close to filling. As we've discussed in previous threads, the PGA needs to promote some other players along with Tiger to ensure they carry the attendance and television ratings they need when he's not there.

I know a number of people who won't even flip to the tournament during an NFL commerical on Sunday because Tiger isn't playing.

[max power]

That's the way it goes, they can't depend on Tiger forever. I'll be watching.

[Fat Slice]

I like the fact that the PGA is fair and let the chips fall where they may.

[sean_miller]

I like the fact that the PGA is fair and let the chips fall where they may.

No kidding. Rigging the system to let him in does a disservice to all the guys who actually showed up all season.

He had his moment by playing a close second (close-ish) to Phil in their head to head, and he got picked for the Ryder Cup. Tiger fanboys can go watch NCAA football. I'll be watching golf.

[jamo]

C'mon. Who cares about the PGA TOUR Playoffs? Diehard golf fans. And who will still watch the TOUR Championship? Diehard golf fans.

[Kieran123]

It would be better if he was there, but I love watching DJ nearly as much as Woods...Phil as exciting? Not even close.

[O.B. Right]

I've never read anything else by Cameron Morfit, so maybe this is a one-time slip but I think he should be fired. A sports writer who suggests that a national sports league bend or manipulate the rules to give top-bill players an advantage? Why, then, doesn't the NFL manipulate the superbowel so smaller market teams can't get in? Surely there are more Giants fans than Cardinals fans, right?

Oh - I know why not - because it's AGAINST EVERYTHING SPORTS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.

That's why.

Sure - I would like to see Tiger play but not at the expense of the sport of golf.

[JWL1957]

Its a BS article. If golf loses fans because Tiger is not playing, then golf will be better off. That goes for TV and at the course on weekends. You watch or play the game just because of 1 guy and will go away if he's not playing......... cya.

[pixel5]

I enjoy watching Dustin Johnson, Bubba, Hunter Mahan...these guys are the ones who have showed up all season. Woods can go to rehab for a while...get his game back, then maybe I'll be convinced to watch golf just to see him play. Otherwise there are guys our there who deserve our respect as fans. So go watch the Coke championship and root for Kuchar or DJ or whoever...those guys deserve it!

[Valleygolfer]

As we've discussed in previous threads, the PGA needs to promote some other players along with Tiger to ensure they carry the attendance and television ratings they need when he's not there.

They try all the time to pull another guy to replace Tiger. No one wins enough or emanciates the competition. I am not sure if that will happen again even with Tiger. Tiger's past aura is intimidation and consistency of amazing shots and relentless persuing his competitors. If it was a movie you would not believe it.

The fact is I will watch anyway because I love golf but I really loved it when Tiger would play and with his "A" game. I think it might take longer than a year for him to regain his star playing power. Divorce sucks, and sucks the life out of you. You feel like failure when it happens, I am not sure Tiger has ever been kicked in the nuts this hard. Either way, I am lovin' Bubba's personallity, want Kooch or DJ to rock the cup.

[max power]

I like watching close, exciting golf. Tiger has been by far the best golfer in 25 years-but watching him beat the field by 10 strokes is no more enjoyable for me than watching any other golfer do the same thing. I enjoy watching Tiger, and understand why he gets covered the most, but I am a fan of GOLF , not one guy.

[golfro]

Its a BS article. If golf loses fans because Tiger is not playing, then golf will be better off. That goes for TV and at the course on weekends. You watch or play the game just because of 1 guy and will go away if he's not playing......... cya.

unfortunately golf will not be better off because the general public doesn't care about the Dustin Johnsons and Hunter Mahan's of the PGA Tour. Mass of millions of general public, golfers or not, like to watch exciting golf. Exciting for them is Tiger.

I will agree however that they need to do a better job of marketing other players. Easier said than done when nobody truly steps up to the plate to dominate the game and destroys the playign field by double digit stroke victories. However, I think this past couple years was the perfect opportunity for the PGA to really push their young talents out and leverage that exposure to bring in more public interest. This past couple years, with Dustin Johnson, Rory Mcilroy, AK, Rickie Fowler and other young talents, it was a great opportunity for them to ride on that excitement and really push for a great appeal. In my opinion, they failed to do this. Instead they covered more on Tiger's infidelities and his overall poor game play. There is something to be said when on any given episode of Golf Central, they cover Tiger 80% of time even if he plays poorly...moreso than other talents who played excellent. but what will you do, the public demands Tiger, the media shows Tiger...gotta generate viewership and money somehow.

[mdbuschsr]

I'm glad he didn't make it. Set aside the fact that I think he acts like an ASS on the course too often. For the first season ever he has failed as a golfer. He has a few weeks to get it together for the Ryder Cup, and then several months to really put it together before next season. If he does the work that everyone (even me) knows he is capable of, I think he still has more ability than anyone else out there. On the other hand I also enjoy seeing others win tournies.

Tiger is fun to watch when he is playing well, but I truly can't stand his infantile behavior when things are even slightly askew!

I say good for the PGA in not bending their rules for the kitty!

[Paradox]

the problem with marketing players on the tour is you have just golf....most of these guys don't carry the "clout" that Tiger has and had to make him marketable to a far bigger audience. These other guys can sell clubs and some clothes but they are still reaching to an audience thats already involved in the sport. Tiger could go outside the lines because of his game, not his name.

Even more, golf doesn't have events like other sports have that allow them to showcase their stars in a way to make them reach out. There are no all-star games and the like. Its all serious business.

Maybe they need to find a way to make the players more personable to a TV audience by having some more pro-am coverage where players are mic'ed up. Get a big time skins game going where its for charity and get some of the young players involved and try to get some fan involvement. I'm not a marketing guru but it seems like that in order for the PGA tour to have more "stars" like Tiger, they need to get the players out there in a way that the public can see them.

[JWL1957]

unfortunately golf will not be better off because the general public doesn't care about the Dustin Johnsons and Hunter Mahan's of the PGA Tour. Mass of millions of general public, golfers or not, like to watch exciting golf. Exciting for them is Tiger.

I understand your point. But golf will find its own center again, and will continue to attract its share of people who just love the game........ instead of the hype.