An 8:10 a.m. phone call had Advil Western Open officials reaching for some of the sponsor’s product Tuesday.
Tiger Woods, through agent Mark Steinberg, informed tournament officials he was withdrawing because of illness. The Western suddenly feels like a Fourth of July without fireworks.
“It’s the biggest surprise you can have,” tournament director John Kaczkowski glumly conceded after the Western Open lost the No. 1 player in the world and golf’s biggest drawing card. Woods had played in all five Westerns since turning pro in late 1996, and appeared in the 1994 and 1995 events as an amateur.
The tournament will go on, but without the mega-star power that comes with Woods’ presence.
When the two-time Western winner plays, Cog Hill tilts to one side because of the large galleries following him.
Woods was suffering from “flulike symptoms,” Steinberg said. When asked if it were possible he could have recovered in time for Thursday’s first round, Steinberg said Woods couldn’t wait.
“At some point you have to make the decision–you can’t wait until Thursday morning,” he said.
“There’s no deception here. I hope fans understand that he has played the Western every year since he’s turned pro. Tiger has a strong affinity for the fans and the tournament. He loves Chicago.”
Steinberg said Woods expects to be fine by the British Open. The importance of the season’s third major, scheduled for Muirfield in two weeks, clearly was a factor in Woods’ decision to skip a trip to Cog Hill; he is going for a third straight major in a bid to win a same-year Grand Slam. He will be spending next week preparing with his annual golf and fishing trip in Ireland.
“I think there’s a feeling that if he plays [in the Western] and isn’t feeling well, he might not be ready for the British,” Steinberg said. “It’s unfortunate, but sometimes people get sick.”
Woods, though, isn’t most people. Players withdraw late all the time and it barely gets noticed. Fulton Allem and Mark Wiebe pulled out Monday and it didn’t cause a ripple.
But every move Woods makes creates earthquakes. Steinberg said his client is sensitive to the impact his late withdrawal has on the tournament. Earlier this year he committed to the Nissan Open on the Friday before the tournament, only to withdraw on Sunday, citing fatigue and illness.
“Everyone beats on Tiger to commit, commit, commit to a tournament,” Steinberg said. “Yet at the same time, there are unfortunate circumstances where he needs to pull out.”
Kaczkowski said he understood Woods’ decision. He wasn’t sure how his absence will affect ticket sales.
“I don’t know the other side, because he’s played here seven of the last eight years,” Kaczkowski said. “I thank him for playing. Our tournament has benefited from him being here.”
Woods’ ties to the Western go back to 1994, when then tournament director Greg McLaughlin invited him on a sponsor’s exemption as an amateur. When he won in 1997, the galleries poured onto the 18th fairway on Sunday, walking with Woods, British Open style, on his way to victory. McLaughlin was the director for that tournament, but he eventually joined Woods as executive director of his foundation.
The Western already has cashed in on Woods in that advance ticket sales were brisk after the U.S. Open, when Woods indicated he would play the Western, which has been a regular part of his schedule.
Yet 15 to 20 percent of the overall gate comes from walk-up sales, which could also be affected if the weather remains as hot as forecast.
Without Woods, there is a serious dropoff in star power. Phil Mickelson isn’t playing this year, and Sergio Garcia has headed off to Europe.
Of those in the field, David Toms is the money leader, ranking third with $2,081,999. Other notables include Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Nick Price and Davis Love III.
His rivals took Woods’ withdrawal in stride. He hasn’t been a factor in the last two Westerns, finishing in a tie for 23rd in 2000 and a tie for 20th in 2001.
“Whether he’s here or not, all I can do is play my game,” Jeff Sluman said.
“On a weekly basis, you know when he’s in the field, but I don’t change my game. I can’t control what Tiger Woods does, or what Phil Mickelson does.”
Woods’ withdrawal means he will go into the British Open without playing in a warm-up tournament. He has been idle since the U.S. Open.
“If he had a concern, he would have done something to rectify the problem,” Steinberg said. “He’s shown in the past that he knows how to prepare for the big event.”
Sluman agrees. He believes Woods made the right move in skipping the Western if he wasn’t feeling up to par, so to speak.
“In my opinion, he made 1,000 percent the right decision,” Sluman said.
“With what he’s done with his golf game, it would be hard to argue that he’s making a mistake. He’s got bigger things on his mind.”
Sluman, a Hinsdale resident, said he feels for local fans who won’t get to see Woods this year. He predicts Woods will be back at the Western.
Kaczkowski hopes that’s the case. There is speculation that with next year’s Open being at Olympia Fields, where Woods was to have played a practice round during his Western visit, he might not want to make a return trip to play the Western.
“He committed to play in the tournament this year and got sick,” Kaczkowski said. “I take that to mean he wanted to play in the tournament. Everything he has said about us has been very positive.”
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Players to watch in Woods’ absence
Now that Tiger Woods is out of the field, here are the new favorites for the Western.
David Toms
He’s been Mr. Top 10 this year, but he still is looking for his first win in 2002. Would love for it to come here.
Vijay Singh
He loves Cog Hill, and he’s played well there, finishing in the top 10 four times. Now all that’s missing is a Western title.
Scott Hoch
The defending champion won two titles at 45. The way he’s playing he could perform the same feat at 46.
Davis Love III
Came up short in an epic battle with Hoch last year. Comes in with momentum after a second at Hartford.
