Tiger: When and why

No Friday Five this week, for the sole reason that I cannot get this Mac I'm working on to cut and paste links correctly.  Long story, but Macs have issues too, even though this likely is user error.

Anyway, more news out of the golf world (insert imaginary link here) as Butch Harmon says he thinks Tiger returns in March.  Stupid Butch Harmon, he beat be to the scoop.  I'm now officially a Hank Haney guy.

Anyway, as I teased earlier in the week, I've got my own thoughts on when Tiger will return and why.  First of all, he is coming back, and anyone who says he might not play again is insane.  Tiger wants one thing more than women, and that's history.  Harmon is right, he's going to be back in March.   Allow me to explain why.

Tiger is playing Augusta.  I'll get to why he's playing Augusta in a minute, but I think we can all agree that he isn't going to make the Masters his re-entry to the Tour.  Not a chance he wants to deal with that circus.  So, he's going to play in Florida in March.  He usually plays Bay Hill and the WGC-CA Championship.

Why am I so certain he's playing Augusta?  Yes, he'd love to win another major, but the Masters happens every year, it's more than that.  The truth lies in the other three majors of 2009.  Want to take a guess where the US Open is being contested this year?  Pebble Beach.  Last time Tiger played an Open at Pebble the women and children went into hiding for weeks.  The result, Tiger (-12) wins by fifteen shots.  Pretty safe to say he'll be the heavy favorite there, right?

Moving along, in an unlikely twist of fate, the Open Championship in July will be played at....St. Andrews!  Want to know what occurred on that course the last two times it hosted the Open?  Tiger (-19) won by eight in 2000 and went wire-to-wire to win by five (Tiger -14) in 2005.

So, what does Tiger want more than the hostess at I Hop?  History.  If we agree that he is an overwhelming favorite to win at Pebble and St. Andrews, where no one has even challenged him in three major starts, we have to admit that this is probably his best chance ever to win the slam.  He likely won't, but he has to play Augusta to give himself a chance.

For those wondering, the PGA Championship is at Whistling Straits, where Tiger went T24 (-2).  That one doesn't work in his favor.  Still, look out if he wins at Augusta.  It will set in motion an amazing summer story.

Who's with me?

Cheers,
TFAM