Friday, April 24, 2009

Tiger moves the needle

It has looked for weeks like Tiger Woods would come back to play the Quail Hollow Championship, which he committed to do today -- here's Ron Green's story about that.

But it's never quite certain Tiger is coming until it happens. Now that it is official, Tiger's appearance is very good news for a tournament that needs to sell a few more tickets and can now be assured of having the world's 3 top players (Woods, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia by the current rankings).

When Woods comes to Charlotte, as he has 3 times in the previous 6 tournaments, everything feels different. It's like when you walk into the party, see all the people you want to see, and realize you're in the right place and are going to have a great time. Woods won the tournament in 2007, then missed last year due to injury.

Woods actually isn't as personable with fans as Mickelson, Garcia or practically anyone else you'd care to name in this field. He's about the golf. He's always been about the golf. Woods stares laser beams during every round, totally ignoring whatever else is in his way.

So if you're going out to Quail Hollow simply to try and get Woods' autograph, good luck. You'll need it. But if you're coming out to watch Tiger play and marvel at the tricks he can play with a golf ball, you're in luck. No one is better at that, and Quail Hollow is very fortunate to get him again.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very true. I've worked the tournament each year he's been there and the man is all business. Fun to watch but he doesn't see anyone or anything outside of the ropes.

Unknown said...

That's as it should be. Golf is serious business, not trivial entertainment.

tom sorensen said...

"tiger moves the needle", good one captain obvious. p.s., eddie munster called. he wants his hair back.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy that Tiger is coming to Charlotte. Now we can look forward to a week of all Tiger in the Observer instead of that Curry dude from Davidson who Scott wrote about everyday for the past two weeks.

Anonymous said...

I hope Ron Green Jr. doesn't try to hug him like he once mentioned he would like to do.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but, Tiger doesn't have to be such a machine and blow off the fans. Many other stars of the game could do both....Arnold, Jack, Gary, Lee, Phil and many more. At times I think he is not a very good representative of the game of golf. After all, it is a game of gentlemen and Tiger is not much of a gentleman after a bad shot.

Fire away!

Anonymous said...

He brings out the weekend golfer, the obnoxious guy that thinks shouting "you the man" or "in the hole" is prroper golf. He brings more black folks to the course. They come as much to feel like part of the elite as they do to watch golf.