July 15, 2011
Justice junks Tiger rumor
Advertiser
A tweet caused quite a stir within PGA Tour and West Virginia golf circles on Friday.
Alan Shipnuck, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated and author, sent a message through the social media vehicle Twitter that suggested Tiger Woods is planning to make his comeback at The Greenbrier Classic, July 25-31 in White Sulphur Springs.
According to Shipnuck's tweet: "Rumor alert (W. Coast edition): two sources tell me Tiger is planning to play Greenbrier Classic (July 28-31). Akron follows, then the PGA."
When reached by the Gazette on Friday, Greenbrier resort owner Jim Justice said that's not the case.
"No Tiger Woods," Justice said by phone. "There's nothing to it. I don't know where it came from."
Woods, however, has until 5 p.m. Friday before the Classic to enter the tournament, and the winner of 14 major tournaments obviously has a high spot on the pecking order to get in.
In a way, it would make sense - if he wanted to return for the final major of the year, the PGA Tournament in Atlanta. That comes two weeks after The Greenbrier Classic, with the World Golf Championships' Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio, between the two.
The Akron event is a no-cut, limited-field event including the top 50 players in the world and other tournament winners from the. PGA, European and other tours. He suffered one of his worst weekends in last year's Bridgestone, finishing next-to-last.
In the off chance Woods were to choose to play at the Old White TPC course, the attention from the sports world - to say nothing of the golf world - would essentially engulf White Sulphur Springs. Extra security arrangements are always necessary when Woods plays, and media and ticket demand would certainly increase.
For instance, Woods did not play in the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, in June, the first time in years he was absent from Jack Nicklaus' tournament. Officials there do not release attendance figures, but marshals around the course and other observers reported a noticeably lighter gallery.
Woods has been sidelined by knee and leg injuries. He last competed well in the Masters, finishing fourth, but was injured making a shot off pine needles at Augusta National. He tried to play in The Players Championship, but withdrew after nine holes and later skipped the U.S. and British opens.
He spent 623 weeks as the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, but has since fallen to 19th. Much of the speculation among national media has Woods skipping the rest of the season, at least that of the PGA Tour.



