The absence of Tiger Woods

File Pictures of Tiger Woods at the Mines Resort City Kuala Lumpur Golf Tournament.
By S.S.Kanesan/The Star

Tiger Woods, the 32-year-old American nursed a painful knee all week before clinching his 14th major title at the US Open on Monday, winning a 19-hole playoff against compatriot Rocco Mediate.

Moments after securing his 14th major title and his 65th career victory on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods admitted he had defied doctor’s orders to compete at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

He conceded he needed to follow medical advice for the sake of his long-term career.

“While I am obviously disappointed to have to miss the remainder of the season, I have to do the right thing for my long-term health,” he said

The absence of Tiger Woods for the rest of the 2008 season will be a little like trying to stage the fairytale ball without Cinderella, or the Oscars without the prized statuettes.

In many ways, Tiger Woods is golf and he has almost single-handedly ushered in an era of multi-million dollar endorsements and lucrative appearance money since turning professional in 1996.

Next month's British Open, where Woods is a three-time champion, will proceed at Royal Birkdale without him, as will the Aug. 7-10 PGA Championship where he has triumphed on four occasions.

The game's leading player will also be absent from the Sept. 19-21 Ryder Cup in Louisville, Kentucky where the US will be bidding to end a run of three successive defeats by Europe.

Above all, though, the fans will miss Woods for the rest of the year and this will be translated into plunging television ratings at golf tournaments where he normally plays.

His uncanny ability to produce moments of magic almost on demand when they matter most, followed by his trademark fist pump, provides golfing theatre beyond the reach of his rivals.

Compatriot Kenny Perry, a 10-times PGA Tour winner who played with Woods on the US Ryder Cup team in 2004, accepts that Woods's absence will be sorely felt.

“It's going to be tough for the sponsors and the Tour,” said Perry

# Wounded Tiger survives playoffto claim third US Open Title