Tiger and Elin Split

Divorce usually takes years, not months, but for Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, time was of the essence. Their marriage ended August 23, and it's safe to say this was the best decision for the couple, fans and media.

Why? Because the speculation of settlements and how the impending split was hindering Tiger's play on the course was becoming too much to handle. It sucked the life out of him - and it should have. Reports and confirmations of Tiger's prowling across the nation were daily fodder for the national media and especially bloggers. I have no sympathy for Tiger, he dug his own marital grave, but imagine the toll it took on his personal life. For a player with tunnel vision, there was no fighting the wandering thoughts of how big a fall he has taken in the past 9 months.

The larger question is, where will Tiger go now? It's a lost year for him, so throwing together any type of "come back" in the next few months of the PGA Tour schedule will simply be momentum for 2011. We know he isn't going to add to his major total - that opportunity is lost. We know he's never had a worst professional year on Tour.

But do we know he'll make it back to what he once was? No. However, we should expect it. The rust will be knocked off his brain and we'll see Tiger return to form in 2011. Take it to the bank (and tell Elin hello while you're there). No pre-nup could hold up under the situation Tiger put his family in - nor should it.

Money doesn't matter anymore, though. When you're worth over a billion dollars, shelling out an alleged $100 million is merely a blip in the financial radar. Tiger will make that up in the future.

But don't expect him to make up another year like 2010. He's too stubborn, too driven, and too good to have another lost year attached to his resume.

Where is Phil?

After the starting the year in triumphant fashion with a win at the Masters, we have seen little magic from Phil Mickelson in 2010.

He's played in 16 events with an average of 70.3 per-round, missed one cut and has had 5 Top 10 finishes. But this was the year he was supposed to take over the No. 1 ranking from Woods. With various opportunities throughout the year to do so, and Woods in a coma, it makes you wonder what has pushed Phil so close to being No. 1, but always falling short.

Maybe he's just Woods' Scottie Pippen. He may not be cut out to be the No. 1 golfer as he appears to be unable to make that next step. Or maybe his driver is just that bad this year: Driving Accuracy: 52.8% (188th); Total Driving: 198 (107th). Add in a 66% greens in regulation (119th) and you've got a recipe for No. 2 status.

It's just a hunch, but this should have been Phil's year to ascend to the PGA Tour throne and he fell short.

Here are the current odds for the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Even after Tiger's horrible weekend and Phil's bad sunday the odds still favor them.

Phil Mickelson 10/1
Tiger Woods 12/1
Rory McIlroy 16/1
Padraig Harrington 20/1
Steve Stricker 22/1
Ernie Els 28/1
Jim Furyk 33/1
Retief Goosen 33/1
Hunter Mahan 33/1

Defending champion Y.E. Yang is currently at 150/1.

Here are the current odds for the 2010 Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

• Phil Mickelson 9/1
• Ernie Els 11/1
• Martin Kaymer 16/1
• Graeme McDowell 20/1
• Retief Goosen 22/1
• Francesco Molinari 28/1
• Robert Allenby 28/1
• Charl Schwartzel 28/1
• Camilo Villegas 33/1

This is a very good field that should garner more attention than The John Deere Classic.

The U.S. Open is known for being a challenging tournament with tight fairways, deep rough, and glassy greens. Add Pebble Beach into the equation and it's a beautiful disaster that captures your attention like a gorgeous woman with severe issues. 

The course is a gem for the eyes, yet a thorn in the side of golfers. One of the delights of seeing the worlds greatest golfers play on such a demanding course is it brings them down to earth a bit - or back to par, if you will. It helps the casual golfer relate due to the struggles and occasional poor shots that can break a good round of golf. We've been there -- it's nice to see PGA Tour players in that situation from time-to-time as well. 

Play will range from miraculous to atrocious, but here's how I see the Top 10 shaking out by the end of the day Sunday:

1. Phil Mickelson - Solid under pressure this year. Rightfully will take over No. 1 ranking from Tiger. Cut-throat and innovative when tough shots need to be made and that can translate well in Majors (or sometimes not.. see Winged Foot 2008). 
2. Lee Westwood - Quality golf week in and week out, but he's just not quite there yet to get a major. Though, I really wouldn't be surprised if he did. 
3. Zach Johnson - Any former U.S. Open winner should be considered a threat. Seems to pop up high on the leader board before anyone realizes he's having a good round. 
4. Padraig Harrington - Always in contention due to solid ball striking and great approach shots that leave him with make-able birdy opportunities. Plays well injured and when he's behind.
5. Rory McIlroy - The year of 2010 is a coming out party for McIlroy. He will finally supplant himself as an elite PGA Tour player this weekend by contending for the championship in very tough conditions. After Sunday, they'll be nothing left to prove.
6. Jim Furyk - Can never trust Furyk's putter on Sunday's. I've seen him miss too many make-able putts in big spots to put him any higher on this list, but if he gets hot on the green, look out.
7. Hunter Mahan - A great ball-striker who leads the PGA in total driving = exactly what a golfer needs to be successful at Pebble Beach. Don't think he can handle the pressure if he's in contention on Sunday though. 
8. K.J. Choi - Always fun to watch and very consistent. He hasn't missed a cut this year and won't this week, but he may not be able to play the kind of golf needed to win this tournament. 
9. Tiger Woods - Until Tiger shows us he can hit a fairway and play consistent, high level golf, I almost have a hard time putting him in my Top 10. But, he's Tiger Woods, and even in his current state I think he could win this tournament - but I'm picking the field. 
10. Steve Elkington - Because he's entertaining and always gives a great interview. As one of my favorite golfers, this is my way of willing him into contention. And I figured you, dear golf fan, stopped reading after Tiger Woods.

-Tony Bosma

It’s been clear since Tiger Woods burst onto the golf scene in 1996 the PGA Tour has revolved around his every move. If Tiger is in contention for a win on Sunday, ratings go up and golf fans are pleased. Yet, the Tour has had to deal with the fact Tiger is only playing sparingly in 2010 and has yet to return to major championship level form. To call this bad for the PGA is short-sighted. Where Tiger is absent, others have accepted the spotlight and shined brightly under it.

Phil Mickelson battled through an emotional three rounds to win the Masters in April while feeling the effects of a tough year in which his wife and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer. Many wanted Tiger to come back and win his first tournament at Augusta, but Mickelson’s story and golf game quickly trumped that subplot.

A week later, young phenom Rory Mcllroy won going away with a course record 62 at the Quail Hollow Championships. Tiger wasn’t present, but McElroy won his first tournament days before his 21^st birthday. Say the future of golf lies solely on Tiger and you’re missing the point.

The storylines have been present in golf beyond Tiger years – he just swallowed them up with his big swing, big smile, and dominating golf game. Look past Tiger and you’ll find there are great stories everywhere on the PGA Tour. Don’t believe me? Go pick up a John Feinstein book about golf and see how many interesting stories there are about Tiger in there. You’ll be surprised.

All of that leads us into the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, OH over the weekend. Yes, Tiger has qualified. Many other big-name players will as well, including Mickelson. But taking a glance at the in-progress leader board at 2pm Central made the weekend rounds seem even more appealing. Guys like Rickie Fowler, Rory Sabatini, KJ Choi, Kenny Perry and many more sit inside the Top 20.

You can love watching Tiger play golf, I do too. But in not paying attention simply because he has not been in some tournaments is a shame. There is so much quality golf being played, it may have been in the Tour’s best interest to have had Tiger out for a short time. It’s not quite as interesting without him, but it’s opened the door for some fresh faces to prove they belong.

That being said, it’s business as usual for the last 2 rounds. Tiger will be on the prowl (no pun intended), and we’ll be watching. Just don’t be surprised if another storyline keeps you watching along the way.

-Tony Bosma