He Said/She Said: Take Tiger or the field?
- By Bailey Mosier , Golf Guy
- Jan 25, 2012 9:00 AM ET
OK, let's say you are the sponsor of a PGA Tour or European Tour event. Or the tournament director for that matter. You want ... you need bang for your buck, but still hold the sanctity of the game near and dear. If you had to choose between Tiger or a slew of top-10 players like world No. 1 Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, who would you want at your event? The Golf Guy and Birdie Bailey tee off in this edition of He Said/She Said:
By THE GOLF GUY
I love Tiger Woods the golfer. I love watching Tiger Woods as much as I love watching Phil Mickelson. I love the fact that Tiger in the mix means the pure excitement level on TV is no doubt raised.
But ...
But, if I, the Golf Guy, get to be the one who ultimately chooses – I will always take the world No. 1, world No. 2, world No. 3 and world No. 4. And I make no apologies. I am a savvy tournament director – I am already embracing the next generation of superstars. You will, sometime soon, embrace my decision-making by being able to watch the top-4 players in the world at my event.
Like Tiger ... and Jack ... and Arnie have always said: no one player is bigger than the game. And the Golf Guy agrees. Give me the best golfers – not just the most popular.
By BIRDIE BAILEY
If you build it, they will come ... or so the saying goes. If that’s the case and I’m a tournament sponsor, my field of dreams consists of Tiger Woods.
Whether you love Tiger or hate Tiger, you still want to watch Tiger. Even if he never returns to previous form ... even if he never breaks Jack Nicklaus' record ... even if he never wins another tournament again you, me and the rest of the world will tune in to see the outcome. Heck, if you’re a Tiger hater you’re hoping none of the aforementioned happens, but you’re still tuning in to see if they do.
Tiger Woods is this generation's greatest golfer – debatably the best of all time – and we have a chance to witness him either in person or on TV. The whole world wants to watch Tiger Woods play golf. If I'm a sponsor, the one person I want at my event is Tiger Woods because I know that means interest, eyeballs and money coming in.
Is it all about money? No. Is it all about money, viewership, interest, ticket sales, phenomenal golf and giving golf fans what they want? Yes.
The one man who can deliver even if he doesn’t deliver on Sunday? Tiger Woods.
You can watch complete coverage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship live Wednesday on Golf Channel from 10PM-3:30AM ET and Thursday-Sunday on from 4-8AM ET.
