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

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods in action

Tiger: I’m glad I won even without my favourite driver

Dubai : As if to pile on the agony for his rivals on either side of the Atlantic, Tiger Woods let slip he achieved his seventh victory in eight outings without the aid of his favourite driver.

“I didn't tell you guys this but I broke my driver on the first tee of the pro-am on Wednesday,” Woods said after beating Germany's Martin Kaymer by one stroke to win the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday Feb 4, 2008.

“I cracked the face so I had to use my backup, which I didn't like too much. As soon as the wind started blowing I had a hard time controlling it because it kept spinning too much. I'm just happy to get a win somehow.”

Despite using a substitute driver in the European Tour event held at the Emirates Golf Club, Woods produced yet another extraordinary performance as a best of the week back nine of 31 gave him a closing seven-under 65 and a 14-under total of 274.

One week after romping to an eight-stroke win at the Buick Invitational in California, it seemed as though the 32-year-old American may be sending a message to opponents everywhere as eyes slowly begin to focus on the first major of the year at the US Masters in April.

Woods was quick to dispel that theory.

“I don't know about messages,” he said. “I'm just happy about winning two tournaments.”

Asked on Wednesday if churning out victories was the most important thing for him, family-man Woods replied: “Winning golf tournaments has never been my number one priority, no.”

Once the follow-up question came with the apologetic rider of, 'sorry, after your family?', Woods replied to howls of laughter: “There you go”.

Nonetheless, his rivals on each side of the Atlantic can breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge the 13-time major champion is now taking a break to spend two weeks in the company of wife Elin and young daughter Sam.

His next golfing mission is due to be the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson, Arizona starting on Feb 20. –

Tiger Woods

Ohh! TIGER WOODS BLAST THE BALL AT THE
15 HOLE AT THE MINES RESORT CITY.
TIGER WOODS WON THE WORLD CUP