Welcome back to Sport Shock. At some point in golf’s most trying year, the man whose personal dominance triggered the game’s fiscal prominence had become, like almost everyone else, a curious bystander. Tiger Woods’ preparation for the British Open coincided with LIV’s London launch (June 9) and its follow-up event in Portland three weeks later. Between a disappointing T47 at the Masters and what would become a missed cut at St. Andrews, Woods had plenty of time to mull the Life of Tiger. Extensive medical history. Obvious physical limitations. Forty-six years old. More net worth than most suburban neighborhoods. A Saudi-funded upstart with tons of swagger. Big-name players ditching the PGA Tour for gigantic, up-front cash.
Perhaps this would explain why Woods flew to Delaware last month in advance of the second FedEx Cup playoff event, taking the initiative to get involved in discussions with his fellow tour pros about how to stanch the bleeding caused by defections to the rival league. By all accounts, the meeting was well-attended and highly productive—commissioner Jay Monahan announced significant changes to the 2024 schedule the following week. Everybody knows about the influx of prize money and hearty boost to the Player Impact Program (PIP) by now. It’s old news, although the emergence of Woods as a good-of-the-game pitchman and proactive ambassador certainly is not. The Delaware trip was a story that went largely overlooked, more of a photo op than an occurrence that necessitated heavy reporting. At the time, the focus was rightfully on the mission itself, and that was certainly covered adequately. Little was made of the actual man on the mission.
