When Buick Open tournament officials announced late last week that Tiger Woods had committed to participate in this year's event, which begins this Thursday in Grand Blanc, Michigan, I'd imagine local golf fans felt similar to local baseball fans when a big league club announces that one of its superstars will be making a rehab appearance with a minor league affiliate that plays nearby.
Woods showing his face at PGA Tour stops perceived to be on the "B" list just doesn't happen anymore.
Since 2006, the last year Woods appeared at the Buick Open, the world's top-ranked golfer and soon-to-be billionaire has only competed in three of 47 PGA Tour events that didn't meet the following criteria:
1. Major Championship (I'll include Players Championship here because it's essentially to the PGA Tour what the U.S. Open is to the USGA)
2. World Golf Championships
3. FedEx Cup Event
4. Direct sponsorship ties between Tiger Woods and a tournament's title sponsor
5. Tiger hosted the event (AT&T National)
6. Event was hosted by Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer
The 2009 Buick Open doesn't meet any of those Tiger requirements after General Motors Corporation parted with ways with Woods in November of 2008.
While Woods has won three times this season (Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial and AT&T National), each tournament being his last start prior to a major championship, he has yet to seriously contend in any of the four weeks that matter most to him.
After his alarming effort at Turnberry, site of Tom Watson's near Open Championship victory, many are assumming Woods' inclusion of the Buick Open on his schedule is an acknowledgement by the 14-time major champion that he needs more repetitions in order to improve his consistency.
Whatever the reasoning, an appearance by Woods at the Buick Open is a rare occurence. Since 2007 there have been six variations of a solar eclipse (two total), while Woods has only appeared in three events that didn't meet the aforementioned criteria since 2006. I don't think it would be too much to ask for Mr. Woods to appear in places like Hilton Head, Tampa and Houston more often than the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth.
It would do wonders for Tiger's image, which you have admit has been sullied a bit in recent days following his repeated temper tantrums at the Open Championship, which have been pointed out by a number of national columnists, including ESPN's Rick Reilly.
Side Note: Even though his work isn't what it was at Sports Illustrated, Reilly needs to stick to writing and avoid golf telecasts all together. Do us all a favor and cancel his show Homecoming ESPN.
The locals in recession ravaged Michigan are already at a fever pitch in anticipation of Big Red's return.
"After taking a hit when Tiger Woods had to skip the 2007 and 2008 Buick Opens, local businesses and charities are hopeful that the world's No. 1-ranked golfer and the state's only PGA golf tournament will bring a much-needed boost to the local enonomy," wrote the Flint Journal's Laura Angus in a recent article.
"We love to see him," said local restaurant manager Ruth Waibel in the same Flint Journal article. "I think the Flint-local people will really appreciate being able to come see him locally."
Over the next few years perhaps Tiger could take a break from his economically incentive-laden schedule and stop at a few tournaments off the gold brick road. I'm sure the locals wouldn't even mind if dropped a few F-Bombs, as long as it wasn't in front of the children.
I shudder at my own use of the phrase "Stimulus Package," but for smaller scale PGA Tour events like the Buick Open that's exactly what an appearance by Tiger Woods is, and unlike any spending bill introduced in the halls of Congress, it yields immediate and noticeable results.