Match Play, Tiger and Good Business

Remember August 27, 1995? It was a Sunday and I was home at our house in the woods on the Lost River. Television had two of the networks covering golf events; on one, CBS I think, the PGA was having another Sunday afternoon showdown; the other, NBC is my recollection, two young men were playing for the 95th US Golf Amateur championship in a match play event. One of them was Tiger Woods and he and that other young man (I can't find his name - anybody remember?) played 36 holes that day. And yes Tiger had to come from behind, had to make miracle shots on and off the green, and did win the championship. For five hours I was riveted to the little screen, coming away enthralled with the magic of the young Tiger.

Today Tiger Woods and 63 other super golfers started this year's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (go here for the brackets after play today). I'm rooting for Tiger Woods and yes I know he has won more than his share of tournaments - but, as I'm sure you would agree, this isn't a equal share business. I root for Tiger for the same reason I rooted for Michael Jordan in the '90's and Larry and Magic in the '80's: because of the magic these men brought to their games.

But there is another reason, a more practical one: Tiger is good, has been good, for the golf business around the world and right here in Loogootee. Just ask the television people - if Tiger is playing on Sunday, guess what? Viewing is up.

Hey! We did open up today and golfers did get to chase a golf ball around our wet but quickly drying out fairways and greens. Still carts on paths and you'll likely go home with a little mud on your pants. But nonetheless awfully nice to be out under the sun with friends hooting and hollering about pop-ups and toppers, slices and hooks, irons that won't get the ball to the green and putters that can't get the same ball to the cup. Golf. What a game.