[Matt_Ward]

Can only imagine the reaction of Finchem and company, ditto the PGA of America brass that Tiger is out of commission and the Tour and PGA are now without their mega bread provider. Living in North Jersey I could hear the final elements of air rushing out of the balloon for the Barclays event at Ridgewood. Those with tickets hoping Tiger would come are now re-booking and planning at being at the Jersey Shore.

One can only imagine the impact this will have on professional golf -- especially events here in the States will have.

[Mike Benham]

And Tiger will undoubtedly still have enough points to qualify for the FedEx, be in the running for player of the year and make the Ryder Cup team.

[David_Tepper]

If nothing else, it will be interesting to see what golfers step up and try to fill the void. Here is chance for a number of guys to start the next two majors knowing the field is wide open and not having to worry about Tiger having a 2-shot lead on the field at the end of 3 rounds.

Will the old guard (Mickelson, Els, Singh, Furyk, etc.) re-assert itself or will the younger guys (Scott, Garcia, Immelman, Rose, etc.) seize the opportunity?

Some how, I am thinking I will be watching the Euro Tour early mornings on the Golf Channel a lot more often. 

[Tim_Cronin]

I feel sorry for all the folks in St. Louis who didn't see Tiger play at the 2001 WGC AmEx because of 9/11 (happened on the Tuesday of the tournament), and now they don't see him as the defending champion in the Western Open. Talk about bad timing.

[Mike Mosely]

David I agree.  Just because Tiger's gone, doesn't mean golf is.

[Matt Varney]

The impact of this is just starting and you just need to think about a couple things:

1.  TV ratings are going to drop big time for all PGA golf events especially the majors.  The Ryder Cup is unique and it will have great national fan support.  Tiger would have made the event even better trying to win the cup on our soil.

2.  This is the big one - If Phil doesn't step up and start kicking ass on this tour and he fails to win a major this year even without Tiger playing how is he #2?

3.  Tiger makes a $100M a year and now the PGA and TV are going to feel the direct effect of him not playing even a limited schedule.  I would rather go play golf now and just catch the highlights on TGC at night. 

I keep going back to days in high school when I wanted to go play golf and I could mayeb get one of buddies on the football team to go play.  Well that has all changed when Tiger came on the tour in 1997.   These guys used to play for $300K first place and $1M purses now they win $1M and the purse in $5M.  If you don't think they will be collecting market research data and comparing the balance of this 2008 golf season to a Pre-Tiger golf season from 1990-1996 your kidding yourself.  When CBS, PGA, USGA all see numbers that are way down because he is not playing who do you think has the upper hand.  Tiger and the PGA Tour Players or Tim Finchem when it comes to tv rights and contract negotiations?

[Steve_Lovett]

The Players was pretty compelling without Tiger, wouldn't you say?

Professional Golf is better with Tiger - but golf will go on......... thankfully.

[rboyce]

I feel sorry for The Open. It will be the first major in 30 years without Steve Williams according to this article...

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3451370

"With Woods done for the season, Williams is finished as well. He will miss his first major championship in 30 years when next month's British Open rolls around, but he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and son."

[PThomas]

I feel sorry for The Open. It will be the first major in 30 years without Steve Williams according to this article...

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3451370

"With Woods done for the season, Williams is finished as well. He will miss his first major championship in 30 years when next month's British Open rolls around, but he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and son."

unless Tiger lets Steve caddie for someone else....

[Matt_Ward]

The post pro golf world without Tiger is no less akin to what the NBA faced after Air Jordan. The void will be filled but unless a serious rival or two emerges during this lull untill Tiger returns the world of golf will suffer without him.

[Steve_Lovett]

The post pro golf world without Tiger is no less akin to what the NBA faced after Air Jordan. The void will be filled but unless a serious rival or two emerges during this lull untill Tiger returns the world of golf will suffer without him.

Brad Klein was on XM with Peter Kessler this morning, and I thought he put it well.  Golf is about PLAYING, which is altogether different from Professional Golf. "The World of Golf" will not change with Tiger's injury - but pro golf will be different.

I used The Players analogy earlier - Sergio & Paul Goydos had a great competition, and it was a fabulous tournament even without Tiger.  I suspect others will rise while Tiger is recovering, and the competition will be great.  If "the media" chooses to focus on what's not there as opposed to what's actually happening, it would be a shame.

The hype will be lower while Tiger's away - but I wouldn't go so far as to say the "air went out of the baloon.  That's overstated.

[Tim Gavrich]

In a roundabout way, Finchem and the gang have a chance to experiment and figure out a way to keep the Tigerites interested once Woods has retired (which I personally think may happen once he notches major No. 20).  They have the rest of the year to supply a compelling product.  Hopefully they'll make more than nothing of it.

I don't believe I'll watch any less professional golf than I would have if Tiger were playing.  As a player, I learn things every day (well, every Thursday-Sunday I can) by watching the pros do their thing.  Yes, the best one is out of comission for the rest of the year, but if anything we may have the chance to recall that professional golf was still compelling pre-Tiger.

[Matt_Ward]

Steve L:

Beg to differr.

But the folks at the Barclays simply died the minute Tiger went on the shelf. No doubt there was no guarantee he was going to play but now that he won't you can be sure that plenty of people who thought about going to Ridgewood are heading to the Jersey Shore instead.

Ditto the lackluster nature of the FedEx Cup because without Tiger it's meaningless. The only saving grace might be what happens in the final two majors if a rival of consequence emerges and if the Ryder Cup proves to be entertaining.

Pro golf doesn't have a back-up plan without Tiger -- long term consequences are now here for those to see if their eyes are indeed open.

[tlavin]

I'll tune in from time to time if I want to see a particular course.  Ridgewood would certainly qualify in that regard.  Otherwise, I'll probably watch the Sunday coverage of the Open and a bit of the PGA, but I'm unlikely to watch any tour stop.  The game will endure, but it will be boring.

I agree with an earlier poster that the Players was compelling television, but the golf course itself is also compelling and the event was able to survive the absence of Tiger because of the drama that developed with Goydos and Sergio.

Speaking of disappointments and disappearing acts, how about Sergio at Torrey?

[Will MacEwen]

Speaking of disappointments and disappearing acts, how about Sergio at Torrey?

Considering Garcia was about 6 over after the first 9 holes, I suspect that his experience at Torrey may serve him well in the long run. 

Of course, the man is long on moral victories, building blocks, etc in majors.  What would be be today if he had won the PGA as a 19 year old?  Hard to fathom.

[cary lichtenstein]

This is an interesting post and series of responses.

My take on this: Just think what a wonderful 11 years we have  had with Tiger being the ultimate "highlight reel"

We'll sorely miss him, hope he recovers enuf to give us what will most probably be a shortened, but thrilling 2nd half of his career.

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