Finchem's plan wasn't so Tiger-proof
by TOM LaMARRE, Sports Xchange
However, Finchem can do that only on paper.
When the Players Championship is contested for the 35th time this week in the PGA Tour's front yard in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., the best players in the world will be there.
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Worth a thousand words:
All save one, the No. 1.
Tiger Woods will stay at home a few hours away in Central Florida, rehabbing his left knee, which required surgery for the third time two days after the Masters.
And that's exactly the point.
"I knew a couple of months ago I was going to have the surgery," Woods wrote in his newsletter two weeks ago. "The knee has been bugging me for a while. The only decision was, do you miss the Masters or play in the Masters? I decided to play. Even if I had won, I still would have had the surgery.
"I made the decisions to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters."
What he didn't say was that by having the surgery when he did, Woods had to know that he probably would not be able to play in the Players Championship, which was only four weeks away.
And that, unless the surgery was more complicated than expected, he would be ready to play in the U.S. Open next month at Torrey Pines.
No surprise there, that Woods would pick two major championships over the Players, but not exactly a ringing endorsement to have the tournament become the fifth major.
That being said, Tiger has been a big supporter of the Players Championship and TPC Sawgrass.
"The Players Championship is our tournament, and because of that it's one that every player wants to win," Woods said a few years ago. "... I think it's probably the highest tournament in the world next to the majors."
When the schedule was changed last year, allowing the Players to stand alone in May, he was all for it.
In fact, he had advocated the switch several years back.
"We always had that huge gap between the Masters and the U.S. Open, and now the Players is a wonderful fit to bridge the gap between the Masters and the U.S. Open," he said.
"It's ... a great tournament, probably one of the strongest fields we'll have all year. You play against the best players on this golf course under these type of conditions. This is one heck of a test, so it's a bunch of fun for all of us."
Despite what he has said about the tournament, there are those who suggest Woods is not all that unhappy he does not have to play Sawgrass this year. He has not done well there since winning his only title in the event in 2001.
His best finish since then was a tie for 11th in 2003, and he has broken 70 only five times in his last 24 rounds on Pete Dye's masterpiece, where Woods' power off the tee is somewhat nullified.
"Anyone can win here, that's the beauty of this golf course," Woods said last year, and unlikely winners such as Greg Perks, 48-year-old Fred Funk and Stephen Ames have proved that.
But proven champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Nick Price and Greg Norman also have won at Sawgrass, and Phil Mickelson added his name to the list last year.
Two names conspicuously missing from the honor roll of winners are Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk, who live not far from the course in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Whether Woods' absence is welcomed by those in the field this week is questionable, because it might be difficult to get a straight answer out of anyone.
"It's good for us, because now that he's taking off, we've got a chance to win a couple of these," Brandt Snedeker said with a laugh when he learned of Woods' surgery.
Aaron Baddeley said: "It's a bummer that he's not out here. You always want to compete against the best because when you win, it makes it that much more special."
Overall, it's probably not the best thing for the PGA Tour because Woods is the No. 1 athlete in the world, and he drives advertising, television ratings and ticket sales -- everything to do with dollars and cents. Not to mention the interest of the print and electronic media.
Win or lose, when Woods plays, people pay attention.
"My wife and I bought tickets to the Players Championship several weeks ago, the first time we got tickets for a golf tournament," said Gordon Hemberger of DeBary, Fla.
"Then Tiger has knee surgery. I'm not happy that he isn't playing, but Carol (his wife) is really ticked off. We're still going to the tournament, but we wanted to see the No. 1 player in the world. But what can you do?"
Zach Johnson understands what Woods' presence, and absence, means.
"He makes our product better than what it is," the 2007 Masters champion said. "He makes us better, as far as competition goes."
There had to be some gnashing of teeth around the PGA Tour offices when it was learned that the circuit's meal ticket would be out four-to-six weeks and was unable to play in the organization's flagship event.
Finchem took on a diplomatic tone.
"Of course, we're disappointed when Tiger is unable to compete in a PGA Tour event," the commissioner wrote on the Tour's website. "There is really never a good time for an athlete -- especially one of Tiger's caliber -- to take weeks off from competition during the season. But his health concerns have to come first.
"We wish him the best toward a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to the Tour when he is ready and able to compete."
Reading between the lines, hopefully sooner rather than later.
Notes and quotes
The course, formerly known as Stonebrae Country Club, will be the site of what will be known as the Stonebrae Classic, which was played as the Livermore Wine Country Championship at the Course at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, Calif., the last three years.
The Jordan & Kyra Memorial Foundation of Santa Cruz, Calif., dedicated to pediatric cancer research and family care, will serve as the host tournament organization for the Stonebrae Classic.
The Foundation was begun by Rob Stuart, father of Jordan Stuart, and Pillsbury, uncle of Kyra Pillsbury -- two Bay Area children who died at a young age from brain tumors.
The primary beneficiary of the tournament will be George Mark Children's House in San Leandro, established in 2004 to provide the best quality of care for seriously and terminally ill children and their families.
The tournament also will also benefit Koret Family House in San Francisco, a non-profit residence for the families of children undergoing cancer treatment at University of California-San Francisco Medical Center.
The Scottish links-influenced Stonebrae layout is carved into the Walpert Ridge hillside, on 1,700 acres more than 1,500 feet above San Francisco Bay, and features sweeping views of Bay Area landmarks -- including the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges, the San Francisco skyline and, on clear days, Mt. Diablo and Mt. Tamalpias.
He introduced players from Ben Hogan to Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods on the first tee of the first major of the year.
"Fore please, Jack Nicklaus now driving," was the standard introduction given by Harison, who was one of two people to attend every Masters since it began in 1934.
Harison recovered from a car accident that badly injured his back to serve as the starter one last time in 2007, but he was strong enough to introduce only the first two groups.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Phil Harison," said Billy Payne, Masters chairman. "Phil was a cherished member who made significant contributions to the Masters.
"As the starter on the first tee, he was the face of the Masters to many patrons. He did a wonderful job in that role."
Harison grew up in a house, since torn down, that was located behind the first green at Augusta National. He joined his father and brother as members when he was 21.
He made a hole-in-one while playing a round of golf with President Eisenhower in 1955 and another while playing in a group with Jack Nicklaus in 1989, in addition to playing golf several times with Bobby Jones.
Harison's grandfather, Dr. William Henry Harrison, was one of the founders of Augusta National along with Jones.
Weekley got a chance to live out a dream last week when he went to the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., along with Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini and Woody Austin.
"It was awesome," said Weekley, who like the other golfers was playing nearby in the Wachovia Championship. "If you ain't ever done it, you need to try.
"It's the whole thing. You get a vehicle that's probably more expensive than what I own at the house ... (and) if you pile that thing up in the wall, you can't just say, 'Hey, I'm sorry.' It was kind of nerve-wracking, you know?"
Weekley is a big fan Dale Earnhardt Jr., and he got to drive a fully equipped replica of the No. 8 car his favorite driver made famous.
He was able to get the car going 138 mph in his first trip around the oval, then got up to 150 in his second. Later, he admitted he'd gone nearly as fast along Interstate 10 near his home in the Florida panhandle.
Appleby is an avid racing fan and has competed in road races.
"Him and Woody both can go," Weekley said. "I told (Appleby) if his golf don't pan out for him, they might have a career in that."
In each of the last three years, course designer Jay Blasi got a phone call or e-mail on April Fool's Day telling him that the "Lone Fir," as the tree behind the 15th tee has become known, had fallen down.
Nobody is laughing now.
That's because course workers last week found that the trunk of the tree was missing a catcher's mitt-size chunk after being hacked by vandals, possibly with an ax.
"We're all just crossing our fingers and hoping some way and somehow the integrity of the tree can survive," said Blasi, who worked on the staff of primary designer Robert Trent Jones Jr.
"Every time I made a trip up there, I made a stop by the tree. It became part of the Chambers Bay lore and family. It really kind of turned into an icon."
Officials of the course, which features breathtaking views of Puget Sound, about 40 miles southwest of Seattle, received some positive news a day after the vandalism was discovered.
Tony Tipton, project manager for Chambers Bay, said two arborists visited the course to do an initial inspection on the tree and came away more optimistic than had been anticipated.
"They think there are some options for being able to save it, or attempt to save it, using some of their expertise on previous trees that have been vandalized or damaged," Tipton said.
Pierce County authorities have offered a $1,000 reward for information about the incident, and additional security is patrolling the area at night.
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