Tiger Woods will not play in this year’s Masters. He will instead have back surgery that could keep him out up to six months.
Tiger’s absence may lower ticket sales and TV ratings may see a drop, but the Masters do not need Tiger.
Tiger has not won a major since 2008. He is not the god in golf he used to be. He struggles to make cuts and is almost never relevant at any major. He is still trying to chase down Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors mark and what seemed to be a sure thing no longer looks so certain.
Tiger has always been center stage since first entering the PGA. From his younger days when everyone was infatuated with the young gun, to his days when if he was even in shouting distance of the lead at a major it seemed like you could pencil him in as the winner, to now, when Tiger struggles to even make the first cut at a major.
Even when Tiger is not affecting the outcome of a tournament – even when he misses the cut and even when he fires a 78 – the media is still in love with him. Instead of watching the leaders attempt a 12-foot birdie putt on 11, people at home are stuck watching Tiger tap in on 18 to finish off his 76. When the leaders are scrambling to save par on 13, fans watching on TV are stuck watching a Tiger interview.
Tiger is still the show whether or not he is playing well and that is wrong. The focus at tournaments should be on the winners. The amateurs, the classics and the first-timers deserve the spotlight, not a washed-up, grumpy Tiger.
Last year’s majors were nothing short of sensational and Tiger, while competing well in two of them, did not factor in the result.
The 2013 Masters saw Adam Scott win his first major with Tiger’s old caddie on the bag. The tournament was full of drama as Angel Cabrera, who was playing in the final group, forced a playoff with his rain-soaked approach on 18. This came after Scott made a very difficult putt on 18 that seemed like the clincher. Cabrera and Scott would play two playoff holes in the dwindling daylight before Scott drained a 15-footer for the win.
The US Open saw fan favorite Phil Mickelson hold a lead going into the final round before falling to eventual champion Justin Rose. The uncharacteristically short golf course showed its teeth and all Rose had to do was limit his mistakes.
This tournament is great because it is a microcosm of golf played everywhere by everyone. It shows golfers with extreme frustration and it shows golfers make the same mistakes every scratch golfer makes.
The majors last year did not suffer from a winless Tiger. In fact, another year of a winless Woods was a breath of fresh air for golf. New storylines and new champions have arisen to make the game more intriguing then before.
Tiger missing the Masters does not hurt the game but rather enhances professional golf. This year’s first major will be filled with storylines absent of Tiger distractions.
