Masters doesn't need Tiger to enthrall viewers

Tiger who?

The phrase once famously scrawled across the back of the hat of Vijay Singh’s caddie seems particularly appropriate this week. In spite of the absence of the world’s No. 1 golf obsession, the Masters Tour­nament will go on today without Tiger Woods.

“We miss him very much,” tournament Chairman Billy Payne said Wednes­day. “Ne­ver­theless, this is the Mas­ters. This is what we hope is the best golf tournament in the world, one of the greatest sporting events, and I think we will have a very impressive audience and have another great champion to crown this year.”

Woods sent his regrets last week to Payne and the many patrons who have come to expect his presence on the famous course and its hand-operated leaderboards.

“Part of what you do in April is watch Tiger play the Mas­ters,” Payne said.

The last time Woods wasn’t the focal point of the Mas­­ters was in 1994. There was no such thing as Twitter back then, but had there been, O.J. Simpson, white Bron­co, Tonya Harding, Jeff Gil­looly and Lorena Bobbitt would have been trending.

Twenty years later, some fans aren’t willing to accept a Masters without a Tiger. When one reporter went to check in for his rental car in Atlanta on Sunday, he was told that 250 customers canceled cars the day after Woods announced his withdrawal. The price of weekly tournament badges on the secondary market took a major hit from a year ago, when Woods had already won twice before coming to Augusta.

Augusta National, however, elected not to cancel the Masters and have a tournament anyway. It seems that having survived the Great Depression and 60 years of tournaments before Woods ever came along, they figured they could survive without him for one year. Both ESPN and CBS Sports even plan to televise it without shearing a single minute from their intended broadcast windows.

Any golf fans who tune out because Woods isn’t in the field aren’t really golf fans at all. Tiger doesn’t generate the excitement at Augusta – Au­gus­ta National creates the drama. It is a course that’s proved time and again – regardless of the names on the leaderboard – that a top course, clever setup and high stakes produce great theater.

“As every year here, this event produces something special no matter what,” said Adam Scott, who put on one of the best Masters shows in history in his playoff duel with Angel Cabrera last year. “It just has a way of doing it. It’s not going to involve Tiger this year, but it will involve someone else and it will be a memorable event anyway.”

Somebody will step into the spotlight and won’t require any asterisk when it’s over. Woods has missed four other majors for various injuries in recent years, and each time the event was won by an Irishman – Padraig Harrington (2008 British Open and PGA), Rory McIlroy (2011 U.S. Open) and Darren Clarke (2011 British). McIlroy is the betting favorite to keep that streak alive and become the first 21st century European winner of the green jacket.

Scott is chasing history again himself. A year after becoming the first Australian winner, he seems intent on keeping the green jacket he’s become attached to over the past 12 months.

“I’ve really got this thing in my head that I’m quite determined not to leave it here,” Scott said.

Then, of course, there’s Phil Mickelson, who is a human highlight reel whenever he comes down Mag­no­lia Lane. Despite a season of misfires and injuries, he is capable of finding the magic at any moment.

“I’m certainly nervous, because this is a week that I care about the most,” he said. “This is the most special tournament, and I have to rely on kind of past performances and past successes and past memories to build that confidence.”

There are a record 24 first-timers in the field, and one of them might be capable of defying the odds and becoming the first rookie in 35 years to don the green jacket.

“If I can get my game ready and play to the right spots and play smart golf and play my A-game,” said 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, “then I believe that I have a chance just like I think anybody else here does.”

Something special will transpire this week. Some new hero might emerge.

The Masters survived after Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead aged out. It got along nicely after the Big Three of Ar­nold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player became ceremonial participants. It will make do without Tiger Woods.

By the time Woods gets back to Augusta next April, he’ll be celebrating the 10th anniversary of his fourth and last green jacket victory. It will be a great story then, regardless of who else is or isn’t in the field.