Should Tiger Woods have been disqualified from The Masters? Does golf etiquette require him to withdraw voluntarily? What would have been the best PR move for Tiger?

These questions will be debated endlessly this weekend and probably for years to come. Here’s a good primer on the issue.

It seems like s silly question. Yes, the pro golf game is doing fine with young guns like Bubba Watson. But Tiger Woods is still the biggest star around.

We live in a world where every story, no matter how insignificant, can get a lot of coverage on television and of course on the Internet. Small stories can become big stories, and big stories become huge.

Then we have stuff like the Rory McIlroy controversy where he walked off the course and quit during the Honda Open. Yes, it’s an obvious topic for debate, and some people like the guys in the video above are trying to have some fun with the story.

But the overall reaction has been ridiculous. McIlroy has since come out and said he made a mistake by withdrawing, but the criticism seems to be way overboard as news outlets and sports commentators look for topics to discuss during this dead sports period.

Everyone seems to be downplaying the whole tooth ache thing, but anyone who has had a serious tooth ache realizes that it can be even more debilitating than a muscle injury. Perhaps Rory could have handled it better, but as usual the media blows things way out of proportion.

The interesting angle is that stupid stories like this actually impact how people view an athlete and his performance potential, and if you’re into online golf betting then you might have an interesting angle. With this silly story, fewer people might be willing to place their bets on Rory, and that could affect the odds in upcoming tournaments. There’s no guarantee of this naturally, but it’s definitely worth monitoring.

With The Masters around the corner and Tiger Woods playing well again, we’re due for an epic showdown between these two. It will be interesting to see the odds as they change leading up to this and other tournaments. It could be a very interesting golf season!

This video is hilarious, as this little toddler never misses as he whacks at plastic golf balls in the basement. Is he the next Tiger Woods?

There’s nothing like Tiger Woods to get golf fans and the casual sports fan interested in major golf tournaments. Sure, Phil Mickelson gets a lot of attention, like his recent stunt where he quit the Memorial tournament after one lousy round because he was hung over. And you have Bubba Watson, who’s good ‘ol boy approach to the game has earned him a legion of fans, particularly in the South. But Tiger’s dramatic win at the Memorial has vaulted him back to the top of the heap again. Golf betting has been a lot less interesting with Tiger in his slump, so plenty of fans probably spent more time betting other sports or hanging out on Party Poker Television. But with Tiger back it’s safe to speculate that the sportsbooks will be getting plenty of action for the US Open.

With the US Open around the corner, the buzz is starting to get out of control as the experts start handicapping Tiger’s chances. You even have news stories about what Tiger might be wearing at the US Open! Then the news came out that Tiger would be in a group with Phil Michelson and Bubba Watson at the US Open and naturally that fueled even more interest. The powers that be in golf don’t want to waste this renewed interest and want to milk Tiger’s resurgence for all it’s worth.

But Tiger still hasn’t won a major in a long time. The Memorial is a very prestigious tournament since it’s hosted by Jack Nicklaus on his home course and is considered to be an unofficial major by many. But it’s still not the US Open, and Tiger needs to demonstrate that he can rise to the occasion again on the biggest stage. He has certainly changed his game, as he’s used his driver much less in order to improve his accuracy, but that also takes away a huge advantage he had over the field in the past. If a big hitter like Watson gets hot at the open, then Tiger will have an uphill battle.

For all of us golf fans, this will be very fun to watch!

Tiger Woods makes a statement with his stunning win Sunday at the Memorial.

Dust off the Tiger Woods highlight reel and add another jaw-dropper, this one near the very top. From a downhill lie, to a green running away from him, and with a wall of water lurking if he went long, Tiger Woods hit a flop shot into the hole for birdie on the par-3 16th hole, one of the most amazing shots of his career, and went on to record his 73rd victory on Sunday.

The win at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village ties Woods with tournament host Jack Nicklaus for second place on the career victories list, trailing only Sam Snead (82), and gives Woods a surge of adrenaline heading into the U.S. Open at Olympic Club, which begins in 11 days.

“That was one of the most incredible golf shots I think you’ll ever see played,” Nicklaus said on the CBS telecast of Woods’s chip-in. “It wasn’t just the pitch shot. It was where he had to land it, and what he had to do, and what the penalties were if he didn’t make it. Unbelievable.”

Golf is better when Tiger is competitive, so this is a great win for the sport. It also helps him when people are focusing on his talent over his obnoxious personality. It also make things more interesting in Las Vegas. Everyone is always looking for betting tips, but Tiger is the ultimate game changer so the advice always changes depending on how he’s playing. If you want to game the Vegas odds, study Tiger and try to predict how he’ll do versus conventional wisdom.

Phil Mickelson was on fire yesterday, and today he has a chance to win his fourth green jacket at The Masters, tying Tiger Woods. Should be a great day at Augusta National!

Tiger Woods has long been a staple of golf news. He has remained an enigma in spite of his incredible career and troublesome personal life, and because of this has continued to maintain the attention of golf fans and non-golf fans alike.

However, Tiger’s ability to draw a crowd has kept the spot light off a few other golfers. Recently, Woods injured his Achilles tendon while playing in Doral. After 11 holes, Woods withdrew leaving fans and sports casters alike holding their breaths – wondering whether Woods was suffering from a legitimate injury that would keep him sidelined for weeks or just a mild sprain. However, Woods’ injury is not the only one that has kept a golfer sidelined. A few other key players that will be sidelined for a few weeks due to injury include:

Paul Goydos

Goydos, who has spent 25 years on the PGA, will be out for three months. For most of his career, he has experienced pain in his left wrist, and will be reporting for surgery shortly to have a bone spur removed.

Lucas Glover

Glover will surely be seen donning a knee brace after a fall from a paddle board in Hawaii. A former U.S. Open champion, Glover has had to miss several big tournaments recently, including the San Diego and Pebble Beach, due to the injuries, and won’t be seen again until the Innisbrook Transitions Tournament.

David Toms

Toms withdrew from the recent Cadillac Championship alongside Tiger due to a back injury. Unfortunately, no one even seemed to notice or care that he was sidelined.

While Tiger is definitely a crowd pleaser, he is not the only player to be noticed on the course. Rory McIlory has taken the new number one spot, and hardly anyone has seemed to give him any attention due to Tiger’s injury. In fact, McIlory has been more than willing to come into the spot light and have a little fun with his new title, even sporting a Tennis racket with Maria Sharapova in front of thousands of adoring fans in Madison Square Garden.

The game may love Tiger, but it doesn’t need Tiger to remain interesting. So whether he rises or continues to smother himself out, keep your eyes on the course. There are several other players worth watching and taking notice of.

Is there a new rivalry in golf? Rory McIlroy held off a charge from a rejuvenated Tiger Woods last weekend, and we might see this battle play out again and again. But time may be limited.

If only Rory McIlroy had been born 10 years earlier, or Tiger Woods a decade later.

What a rivalry they could’ve had, maybe up there with Jack and Arnie, Ali and Frazier, Federer and Nadal, Magic and Bird.

But Woods is 36 and up against the clock as he searches for the champion he once was; McIlroy is 14 years his junior, scratching the surface of his vast potential, safe in the knowledge that he has the next 20 years to get it right.

Their rivalry, then, may not have longevity on its side, but if Sunday’s unforgettable finish to the Honda Classic is any indication, it still may provide days that fathers will tell their sons about.

It wasn’t surprising that McIlroy — on a windy Sunday afternoon in South Florida — became the youngest No. 1 since Woods reached the top of the world rankings as a 21-year-old in 1997.

Given his prodigious talent, it was always going to be his fate.

But it was the way the curly-haired kid from Holywood — outside of Belfast — achieved his dream that was the stuff of Hollywood.

Tiger has dominated for so long, and his presence in a tournament completely altered the betting odds. Sure, you’ll check your sportsbook reviews and information about the course, but Tiger’s presence altered everything. Now with McIlroy we might have another game-changer on our hands.

It will be interesting to see if this is real or whether it’s a fluke. Tiger has been erratic, but if his game is coming back, he and McIlroy can at least start a great rivalry. How long it lasts is another story.

Another press conference; another embarrassing performance by Tiger Woods. He’s not handling the new book from ex-swing coach Hank Haney very well.

Wednesday, at his press conference before the Honda Classic, Woods got downright pissy when GolfChannel’s Alex Miceli asked him about the excerpt’s statement that Woods had considered becoming a Navy SEAL at the height of his career.

First came the stare. Then the insistence that he’d already talked about everything in the book – perhaps referring to a January interview with ESPN.com where the word “unprofessional” first emerged. Then the frozen smile. “Is it in the book?” Woods asked twice. Then, muttering into the microphone, “You’re a beauty, you know that?” Finally, when Miceli pressed him to acknowledge that it was a fair question, that Woods and Steinberg had said the excerpts were untrue and so it was natural to ask about a specific claim, Woods stared again and said, “I don’t know,” and then added dismissively, “Have a good day.”

It was a remarkable performance by a man who stood before the cameras 24 months ago and said he would try to treat people better and be more humble.

It is amazing that in the 16 years since he burst into pro golf with the Nike-scripted declaration, “Hello, World,” Woods has not come to terms with the fact that people talk and write about him.

The guy needs to grow up.