It is a bit ironic that the first post for our blog on Chicago sports really has little to do with Chicago, that is if you do not count events like Cog Hill. Today, February 25, 2009, Tiger Woods returned to the PGA. The last time we all saw the World's #1 Golfer, he was sinking a putt, ending the marathon of golf that was the US Open last June. We all remember the images of Tiger limping down fairways, grimacing after drives and dragging his knee along for a torturous 91 holes of golf. But he won. Because that is what Tiger Woods does. On one knee, he still beat EVERY golfer in the world at a major event. And as the best golfer ever left the US Open heading straight for the operating room, we were left wondering what a world without Tiger would be like.
The PGA got a taste of life without Tiger for the rest of 2008 season. And it was not pretty. Not even this writer could remember who won the Tiger-less British Open and the PGA Championship (Thanks to Wikipedia for reminding me that Pedraig Harrington won both). But the truth is, who really cared? We watch golf to see who might compete with Tiger, but ultimately we eagerly wait for the fist pump on the 18th by the guy in the Buick ads. The television ratings for the PGA have plummeted since last June and it is not hard to see why. Bob Harig's column is loaded with quotes from players admitting that the tour needs Tiger. You would think that the players would have been thankful for the chance to win. I mean, Greg Norman almost won a major! When did he last win a major....1982? But as the tour quickly found out, winning isn't as much fun when no one is watching.
So as of today at 2:26 PM, Tiger Wood's is 2-up on some guy named Brendan Jones in the Accenture Match Play Tournament (Enjoy it Brendan, never again will so many people watch you hit a golf ball). Jason Sobel is giving minute-by-minute updates on his blog (including a banana Tiger ate 1:28 PM ET increasing his potassium levels). For the record, Sobel picked Tiger to win the crazy match play format, which, although bold, isn't that far of a stretch. Tiger-Mania is back! So, with all of you, I can say that I actually care again.
UPDATE: Woods won his match 3-2.
So while I clearly understand the Cog Hill mention to relate this to Chicago, I think a mention of Medinah is also needed here since it was the site of the 1990 U.S. Open and 1999 PGA Championship (which was won by none other than Mr. Woods). In terms of Tiger's return, this couldn't have come sooner for the PGA because without him, it goes back to being a group of pasty white guys dressed in sweater vests. Tiger adds that heart and passion to the game that no other golfer has really shown before. Also, just wanted to end on the note that Fred Couples nearly won last week (he got 3rd) at the Northern Trust Open. I like the gritty performance in one of his last outings before moving to the Champions Tour.
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