Woods spearheads golf`s success, even in defeat

New York: Tiger Woods had a rare taste of failure at the US PGA Championship but the world number one helped make the tournament a roaring success and continues to be the lynchpin of golf`s drive for the future.

Woods, 33, lost to South Korean Yang Yong-eun in one of his most shocking defeats, yet golf was again the winner, according to PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka.Steranka said attendance boomed and PGA Championship TV ratings soared compared to last year in large part because of Woods` presence. "You can`t quantify Tiger`s impact," Steranka said in an interview during Sunday`s final round at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota. "It`s just extraordinary to consider all the aspects of the sport of golf, the sports industry and general entertainment that he`s affecting." Woods` biggest boost to the game could be his role as golf lies poised to join the Olympics in 2016, Steranka added. "The Olympics represent the single biggest thing we could do as a sport and as an industry to accelerate the globalisation of the game," he said. "For the developing golf territories in Asia, South America and eventually Africa, this is enormous to have the governments, the sports bodies in those countries begin to look at what is our plan for Olympic athletes in golf." "It definitely will help to accelerate the participation rate in the game in more territories than ever before." On the eve of the tournament, the organisation announced the World PGA Alliance, which brings together under one umbrella Professional Golf Associations from countries such as the United States, Britain, Japan and Australia. The new body will represent more than 56,000 PGA professionals and 22,000 PGA member golf facilities to help teaching and player development. A final decision on whether golf and rugby sevens will be added to the Olympics will be made by the IOC in October. While Woods has already lifted golf`s popularity, the game continues to count on him, the PGA chief said. "Look at attendance, television ratings, merchandise sales, the diversity of golf," Steranka said about Woods` influence. "One of the things that I think that is going to last longer than anything is that he changes the perception of golf as a sport played by athletes and now we`re beginning to attract some of the best athletes to golf." "Tiger Woods prepares, he conditions himself like a world- class athlete. If you`re going to sustain yourself as a leading sport you need to be getting the best athletes. Tiger Woods is going to help us with that." Steranka added: "(IOC president) Jacques Rogge in his statement talked about Tiger Woods. President Obama asked Tiger Woods to be the sole athletic spokesperson at that inaugural concert of his. Those are the things you can`t put a monetary value on." Woods` impact on last week`s PGA Championship was stunning. US ratings for the CBS final-round coverage of the Woods-Yang tussle were up 150 percent over last year when Ireland`s Padraig Harrington beat off Sergio Garcia of Spain. Third-round ratings were up by nearly 400 percent compared to Saturday`s weather-marred play at Oakland Hills in 2008. The colossal upset by 37-year-old Yang, who entered the tournament ranked 110th, snapped Woods` streak of winning all 14 times he had held a lead going into the final round of a major as the Korean became the first Asian male to win a major. "Looking at the galleries you wouldn`t know there`s any economic downturn," said Steranka, reflecting on crowds of about 40,000 a day at Hazeltine. Our attendance is way up over last year." He added, however: "We were in Detroit (in 2008) at the start of the recession, Tiger was not playing because of injury, so everything is up considerably over last year." Hazeltine was not totally immune to the economic downturn. Corporate revenue in terms of hospitality and merchandise sales was down about 20 percent, Steranka said. Overall revenue for the PGA of America, comprising 28,000 members who teach golf, sell merchandise and equipment, and operate golf courses was down five percent. Steranka said golf`s game plan was to focus on future generations of players. "We think that after the recession us (Baby) Boomers are going to continue to play golf and spend money on golf and that`s going to grow modestly for 15 or 20 years as we age up." "So our focus at the PGA is on Generation Y and the Millenniums (offspring of the Baby Boomers)." "How are we going to maintain golf`s relevancy and the position of this game as something contemporary and fun for the next generation?" "That`s why we put so much energy into junior golf, getting families involved, getting kids to play." "Jack Nicklaus inspired Tiger Woods to accept a dream of a lifetime and we`re watching it now. Tiger Woods I`m sure will inspire somebody to set their career goal based on him." Bureau Report