The Rover would like to welcome you back to Congressional for this week’s second AT&T National with a bit of a screed:
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
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How can Tiger Woods‘ event, played on a layout which has hosted numerous majors and is just three years short of its next appearance in the Slam spotlight (2011 U.S. Open), attract just seven of the world’s top-30 players and NONE of its top draws?
OK, we understand why Phil isn’t here. Like many if not most guys on tour, Tiger barely tolerates Phil, so Lefty has a legit excuse.
But what about Adam Scott (who pulled out), Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh? With Tiger on the shelf, these are the elite personalities who drive the game. And none of them deigned to show up at Congo this week to support Tiger’s event with the king out of commission following knee surgery.
Even rank-and-file, second-tier plumbers like Stewart Cink and Kenny Perry decided to take a pass.
Why? The Rover wants an accounting. Where are you, gentleman?
Do you have trouble at Old Blue? Nope, not considering two of your number have won at Congo before (Els at 1997 U.S. Open and Garcia at 2005 Booz Allen).
Maybe you guys need three weeks to get to Birkdale and get acclimated for the British Open?
Maybe you just needed a break?
Or maybe you simply forgot that this week’s event is hosted (in absentia or otherwise) by the ONE MAN WHO HAS MADE ALL OF YOU IMPOSSIBLY RICH AND FAMOUS. So, Tiger goes down, needs a little support for his event in the interim from the cast of guys he has carried financially for more than a decade, and how do they respond — by deserting en masse.
Pathetic. You should have kissed the ring, gentleman, and you know it. The Rover hopes Tiger comes back stronger than ever and puts a merciless, psychologically crippling can-kicking on every single elite player who took a pass this week.
- Barker Davis
