The economy may be sick but golf is healthy

Of the three big stories this week, one did not take place on the golf course yet it was the biggest – that of Tiger’s return to competition.

Much discussion has centered around whether this is the right venue for his return. The Accenture Match Play championship is over five days and the final is over 36 holes which at first glance might seem an unnecessary test for Tiger’s knee but all reports and his own words suggest that the knee is better than ever.

Winning the US Open on one leg and kicking the competiton’s butts with the other is all we need to know if Tiger’s knee is in fact as good as he says. Therefore, look out PGA Tour!

Match play is perfect for Tiger. One of the great advantages of this format is that you can win shooting over par (and also lose shooting under par) but that is why Tiger can ease his way back into the fray. His first match is against the 64th ranked player in the world – much less daunting than lining up against 155 players all at once.

I do take issue with some of the hype, however, that his return is the most anticipated return in golf history. I wasn’t around in 1950 at Riviera but from all accounts, Ben Hogan’s return to competition (after an accident that almost killed him and left him with his left leg shorter than his right), attracted huge crowds and was so significant it led to a Hollywood movie. As George Harrison once said to Bono (U2's lead singer) - You think U2 is big?. We were big....

Coincidentally, Riviera was the venue for Phil’s return. As defending champion he looked like he’d walk away with it after day one. After day two he kept us in suspence but then day three his play was again astounding to take a four shot lead into Sunday.

In typical Phil fashion, he labored with the lead and lost it soon after. The town favorite Fred Couples had a shot and Steve Stricker had one hand on the trophy but last-gasp, Phil the Thrill made a wonderful birdie at 16 followed by an excellent two-putt birdie at 17. Stricker’s bogey at the last allowed Phil the luxury of a par at 18 (some luxury) and he gave us a few palpitations with his final putt.

The two putts for birdies on the previous two holes must have given him lots of confidence because the par putt never looked like missing.

Story three was also a coincidence when you consider that Phil’s first win on the PGA Tour was as an amateur and so is Danny Lee’s.

Lee has had a fabulous amateur career and plans to turn pro after taking up his invitation to play in the 09 Masters. This youngster is very exciting as we saw at Pinehurst No 2 in last year’s US Amateur. His play before and after that win against the pros should have signalled his chances in the Johnnie Walker in Perth, Australia – a feature tournament on the European Tour.

After a three-putt lip-out bogey at 12, Lee stormed home to birdie four of the final six holes and and almost eagled the 18th. It was a splendid performance. He admitted that making the cut was his goal for the week and maybe a top twenty finish.

With a three year exemption for the European Tour and likely invitations to many of the PGA Tour events, Lee will not lack opportunities. His coolness, great calm and maturity beyond his years should ensure his future. Rory will not have things all his own way.