There Are None To Replace Tiger

The comment I've heard most often from golf fans in the last week is 'I can't get excited about watching pro golf without Tiger'. I admit I'm feeling the same way. There's no interest without Tiger Woods. Why is that?

I believe the biggest thing separating Tiger from the rest of the field is not his play. It's his desire to win. He has had an objective for most of his life to be the best golfer that ever lived, not to just make his fortune playing golf. Between those two approaches lies a tremendous gulf. These days you can make a nice life for yourself playing pro golf. You don't even have to win to be a millionaire. Just be in the top 10 or so in a number of tournaments and get a few endorsement contracts and you can be as well off as you would be working on wall street. And, you get to spend most of your time outside instead of cooped up in an office. Plus you'll have a multi-million dollar home on an exclusive golf course and you'll be practicing your putting instead of producing PowerPoint slides. Nice work if you can get it, and nothing wrong with it.

But without players who want more than the lifestyle, without guys who want to be in the record books not much is going to change. Every week it's going to be someone else who gets the win, while last month's winners fade out. That doesn't breed excitement for viewers. Even my mother-in-law who doesn't play golf, is an avid golf fan because of Tiger. She asks me every week the channels and times of tournament coverage. Since Tiger left she doesn't ask anymore. Without Tiger there is no story and story is what keeps viewers involved. Is there another golfer out there somewhere you will stand up and say 'I'm going to win every time I play' or maybe 'I want to have 10x majors before I retire'? If there ever was an opportunity for someone to make a run, now is the time while Tiger is recuperating.

I'm looking forward to the British Open because it is The Open. After that I probably won't be interested until the Ryder Cup - unless someone steps up. The PGA? I just can't get excited. FedEx Cup? who really truly cares. It's regular golf with a bigger purse. I guess it's supposed to be like a horse race, but without Tiger the format has not provided a storyline so far.