Tiger Woods wins his XNUMXnd tournament on the PGA tour, after two and a half years of fasting, and the golf world breathes a sigh of relief. At stake are 750 million viewers on the planet (data referring to the Ryder Cup), largely driven by the champion. Golf still needs the Tiger star, of an athlete who can be defined as the "greatest champion of all time", "the highest paid sportsman". In fact, to attract fans and practitioners you need records, myths and legends. Thus, a few days before the start of the Masters in Georgia, Woods, back sixth in the world rankings, is again number one at the box office, even more popular than the very young and rampant Rory McIlroy. Everyone has a great desire to believe it, even his colleagues. For Malcom McDowell losing to Tiger at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was an honor: “it was nice to have a front row seat to see him doing what he does best: winning tournaments”. The Englishman Ian Poulter, often harsh towards the American champion, has prophesied that the Tiger will do wonders at the Masters. In short, the chorus is unanimous and enthusiastic. For Tiger, winning was "pure joy" and for the world of golf, an indispensable marketing injection.
The season has just begun and playing it with the former number one in top form means putting the turbo into that money machine that is golf: rights, sponsors, prizes, new followers, houses, clothing and tourism. Golf is the most practiced sport in the world, yet it suffers from the economic crisis, in harmony with the middle class that practices it. A survey published by the monthly Golf & Turismo entitled "The economic crisis brings golf to its knees in the US" and reports that in the last 6 years 4 million American golfers have stopped playing and that 107 courses have closed in two seasons. A critical situation that would have prompted the government to enact a law to protect those who have homes in the bankrupt club. The reading of the Italian situation is more optimistic, even if the rosy vision raises some perplexities. In Italy there are only one hundred thousand golfers (and the figure also includes non-players-goers of clubs, because they are members in any case). A small number and less and less willing to spend. Clubs are often forced to compete fiercely with promotions, to win some green fees or new members. Since the beginning of March in a beautiful Ligurian complex layoffs have been triggered and situations at risk are many more than we know. According to a survey by Golfitaliano 4% of clubs have felt the crisis. It is therefore essential to keep alive the attention towards a sport that requires heavy investments.
In short, even golf needs heroes, to continue to grow and to continue to attract. Long live Tiger then, who keeps this flame burning from the top of a billion dollars already earned in his career, between prize money and sponsors. Tiger who is never satisfied and who suffers (or shows…) on every shot like the last of the amateurs. Everyone has their cut of the dividend to pocket in this game. Including his former coach Hank Haney who is coming out these days with the book "The big miss", on his work with Tiger and on some unpublished stories from the champion's private life.
In golf, Italy too has its testimonial, a budding Tiger who will hopefully live on a long and happy golf career at the top of the European and American tour: Matteo Manassero, 19 years old, won two tournaments and over 2 million euros already collected in his career. Matteo, who failed to qualify for the Masters, but who nevertheless completed the last two tournaments in an excellent way, finishing second in Andalusia and sixth in Morocco, on the European Tour. Starting Thursday, he will be the star of the Sicilian Open, which will take place at Verdura Golf & Resort in Sciacca, Sicily. And the legendary Costantino Rocca will also be on the field, the first Italian to play great golf (he finished second at the British Open).
Justifiably absent are the Molinari brothers, who will participate in the Masters thanks to their placement in the top twenty of last year's prestigious major.
