Predict Tiger's return

The Game Room
1

Was tempted to put this in the other thread, but thought it might merit a stand-alone.

Tiger has said he will be taking a break from competitive golf. Simple question, when do you think Tiger will return? 2010 schedule

In the other thread I believe some folk suggested that he would pass on the Master’s, essentially to create the appearance that he was making a meaningful sacrifice. I don’t think he will wait that long, as that course is so well set up for him and winning majors is basically his main remaining goal. I also don’t know that he will need to stay away that long. The public’s attention is notoriously fleeting, and every week he stays out his absence will remain the biggest story. There are something like 13 tourneys before the Master’s is held in April - more than enough time for his team to craft whatever storyline they want.

He usually doesn’t play the earliest events - I could imagine him feeling he is sacrificing by not playing in a couple of the bigger California events in Feb, or the first couple of WGCs.

Would he want to start off playing a couple of Euro tour events?

But I predict he will make his 2010 debut at Bay Hill, right down the road from his house, and 2 weeks before the Masters. What do you think?

2

It depends on the schedule of the Bimbos. As they keep piling on and the scandal grows he can’t really start. Basically it will take about a two week period of nothing new before he can even start his period of contrition in the public eye.

3

I wonder if some of the new ones are just making it up to get on TV. It gives them free pub and a chance to get noticed.

4

I can’t say when but I agree with **Dinsdale **that he won’t pass on the Masters. He basically cares about four tourneys a year, and not showing for one of them would be unthinkable.

5

I predict that he skips the Master’s. This will make his new found priority on his family more believable to the outside world. If he comes back for the Master’s, the perception would be that he really didn’t sacrifice anything.

6

Just to pick a nit, it’s the Masters. No apostrophe.

7

Sounds like he’s got more problems brewing. Apparently he’s seen some Canadian doctor who is now being investigated for providing performance enhancing drugs. Doesn’t necessarily mean he’s done or taken anything wrong, but he’ll likely catch additional scrutiny. If something is found…yikes…would suck to be him. Well, until he reviews his net worth, anyway. No link, but I heard it on ESPN radio, and they mentioned an article in the New York Times…

8

Here’s a link.

9

When’s the next major?

A radio commentator said he won’t be able to pass up the slate of Augusta, Pebble Beach and St. Andrews this year.

10

April 5 - 11.

11

The Masters or the tournament before it.

12

I think it depends on the marriage. If Elin files for divorce, I think tiger will be back at the Masters. If they remain married, he may not play at all in 2010.

Last week, Tiger says he is taking a hiatus. Basically he was already on hiatus, he had already skipped his own tournament. His last tournament (Australia) was in the middle of last month. Going by previous years schedules, he was not going to play until the end of next month. That’s about 10 weeks, that’s a hiatus in my book.

For the record, I have done some calculations, and assuming that other golfers treads water in the golf rankings, Tiger will not lose his #1 ranking until July. Again, that assumes Mickelson (or anyone else) does not go crazy good in the early part of the year.

13

Thanks. I was too lazy to check and now realize that I have the Official Program of the 2006 Masters within an arm’s length from my desk.

14

Here comes the other shoe. Tiger was getting platelet injection therapy from a doctor who is a big time steroids pusher. The news says the doc injects himself 5 times a day. Not proof, but it is fishy.

15

If using steroids helps you in golf, it sure puts a kibosh on the idea that it isn’t a sport.

16

I’ll say he will play at least one tune up tournament before the Masters. Maybe the Dubai Desert Classic?

I would have thought perhaps the Match Play Championship, but since it is sponsored by Accenture, I think that’s out.

I wonder if he will play Pebble Beach? I know he usually skips it, but with the US Open held there this year, he might want to play this year.

If he really wants to show he’s taking time off, then probably he’ll return for Bay Hill which is 2 weeks before the Masters.

17

If the current reports about his divorce are true, he make take less time off then we thought.

18

It will be interesting to see how he plays when he will be greeted with boos and derision. He is used to being the biggest thing in golf. Now he may not have the crowds to feed off of. The players will not look at him the same. There may be enough changes that he will have to start over. He will have to find a way to win back the fans. Some will never return.

19

All Tiger has to do to win back fans is play golf the way people expect Tiger Woods to play.

No, some people will never think of him the same way.

But in general, we like winners. If Tiger wins, he’ll have fans.

(This opinion is based on common sense, mixed with a pinch of memory of an article I read in the paper this summer, when three of the University of Kentucky’s last four head basketball coaches were making scandalous headlines. It was the opinion of the columnist I was reading that the only one in real trouble careerwise was the one who didn’t have a coaching job at that time–picking up a DUI does not get you hired to coach basketball. )

20

No way he skips the Masters, and certainly for no inane, amorphous reason like “Oh! He’s sacrificing himself for his family! He’s back in my good graces now!”