"Hello world." Remember that? That was how Tiger introduced his professional career at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996. Some 13 years later, the phrase is now being retooled to explain the revelations of Tiger Woods' extramarital activities.
"I am Tiger Woods." The captivating Nike ad that came out in 1997 now takes on a completely different meaning. Recasting that ad in 2009 would star guys like John Edwards and Kobe Bryant. It would probably be an ad that most parents wouldn't want their kids to see.
Still, for all of the disappointment that has been expressed about Woods' activities — and the actions of those looking to capitalize off of his fame and fortune — there has probably never been more interest in golf. Ever.
Forget the Win for the Ages. Never mind the Tiger Slam.
Because of Tiger Woods' accident, rumor mill, and subsequent confession, golf has never had more eyes even indirectly affixed on it.
The hype and the follow through in 1996-97 that resulted in a record Masters win for Woods put golf on the sporting and pop culture map in a way it had not seen for the better part of 50 years. An African-American won the Masters and was dominating the sport from the get go. Millions took up the game to be like Tiger. That sudden surge in popularity during a throbbing economy made land developers see golf as a great investment. Money poured into the amateur and professional game in way we never saw.
Now Tiger's doing it again. After a six-win comeback season on the PGA Tour, Woods brought eyes back to the on-course game. Ratings for events he played in this year were double and triple those of 2008 when he couldn't play. Tiger was swooping in at just the right time to keep golf relevant.
Apparently, that was just the beginning.
Tiger Woods is the lead story or near the top story of almost every major news outlet in the country. Fueled originally by conjecture and rumor, Tiger's revelation that at least some of what has been said is true has taken the story to another level.
You'll learn about all of Tiger's women — their addresses, pictures, criminal backgrounds, and how they look in their underwear. Elin's new prenup will have its details leaked. It's all going to come out.
I loathe to mention it, but the Counting Crows' "Long December" is going to be the theme song of the month for Camp Tiger.
And you know what? That — believe it or not — is great for golf. Or at least the business of golf.
Tiger is widely expected to make the PGA Tour's event at Torrey Pines in San Diego in late January 2010 to be his first on-course appearance since this whole thing started.
Buy your tickets now. Seriously. That tournament at Torrey Pines will attract more media and more fans than any golf tournament in recent memory.
Golf fans will want to know how Tiger will react after all of this. There is speculation that Woods' missed cut at the British Open this year had something to do with this affair. My guess is that this situation will provide Woods with a sanctuary on the course, in his zone, where he can forget the hell his life has quickly become.
Six wins in a comeback season and the FedEx Cup? May as well book him for 10 next year.
Thousands of money-grubbing women will show up to PGA Tour events across the country, just praying that they have the lucky charms to woe Tiger like Jaimee, Rachel, and whoever else has supposedly already done so.
The general public will be interested to see how Tiger responds on and off of the course. Will people heckle him? How will the media treat him? Could Tiger conceivably blow off media altogether?
Will Tiger throw more clubs and drop more f-bombs when things don't go so well? Or was his behavior that was so admonished this summer some manifestation of what had to be churning inside of him?
There are so many questions about Tiger Woods that golf will experience a second boom because of this situation. Call it Tigermania 2.0.
If you asked any pro golfer, Tour sponsor, or PGA Tour official, they would rightly tell you that they would not want to capitalize on the mistakes made by Tiger and the pain caused to his family and reputation. But it is hard to deny that there stands to be an audience for the game — at least in the short term — that could not have been created any other way.
This doesn't mean that there will be the Ashley Madison Open next season, though the Torrey Pines event needs a title sponsor. It doesn't mean that your C-level PGA Tour pro will get endorsement deals just in the happenstance that they get paired with Tiger. No. But the public's interest in Woods and, by extension, golf will likely return to levels only seen twice in his storied career.
It is hard to conceive sometimes how bad news can turn out to be a positive. Still, consider how this situation has played out so far. Everyone has won except Tiger — the media of all kinds, Jaimee Grubbs and Rachel Uchitel got paid, Elin's going to get paid, and golf is going to see a new and perhaps unwanted audience.
Perhaps, then, Tiger will play so well on course because he knows it may well be the only place that he can come out a winner. And that is a scary prospect for his PGA Tour competition.
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