SteveElling

OK, so it’s not exactly the morning after.

But they’re still mourning in some circles, nonetheless.

Already having heard Monday’s news from Tiger Woods that his rehabilitation from reconstructive surgery June 24 could take anywhere between 6-12 months and that he had no guess about his recovery timeframe, the PGA Tour this week is staging a tournament in which Eldrick the Absent is the official host.

The AT&T National begins Thursday, but Woods said he isn’t likely to attend in any form or function. It’s truly the first week where the void created by the world No. 1’s injury has really been felt, since he helped hand-craft the event from scratch last spring and was excited about both hosting and playing in its second incarnation. Not to mention, quite possibly, winning.

Nonetheless, where some see Armageddon, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem sees opportunity. While nobody is arguing that the absence of the world’s most visible sports figure will hurt the game’s ratings, newspaper coverage and fan attendance, that doesn’t mean the game can’t somehow profit in a less-direct, less-financial fashion, he said.

Wednesday at Congressional Country Club, Finchem unveiled his unbridled, optimistic side, and while it surely raised a few eyebrows among the predisposed cynics, the boss man raises a few valid points.

“When Tiger is in the tournament, and by the way, I'm not being critical because he's by far and away probably the mostrecognized personality on the globe; he just eats television coverage,” Finchem said. “So it's very hard for a guy who is playing well, coming through, to get the amount of television coverage.
           
“And so the same performance for a player next week, or this week or at the British Open or a John Deere, any of the weeks we have for the rest of the year will be magnified significantly with Tiger not in the field. 

“That allows players to become better-known to fans, to step up, maybe create some situations where there's a lot of speculation by you (media) folks. ‘Here is a guy who has really played great,’ and you start speculating on how it’s going to shake out when these two or three guys come into next year and Tiger is back.

“So there's a lot of good storylines that will come out of it.”

Finchem has been asked many times over the years if Woods’ presence as the unquestioned alpha male is a mixed blessing. Usually, his answer has been fairly emphatically in the negative. Wednesday, he acknowledged that the world No. 1 overshadows nearly everything, not without good reason.

“In our business, the only problem in having a dominant player is that it's harder for us to continue to grow the list of stars,” he said. “When somebody is as dominant as Tiger, it's even more difficult, because they pale in comparison to somebody of that stature.

“So this is a great opportunity for us, and I think in many ways, it could generate real value for the tour for the next few years.”

EDINA, Minn. -- With the July 4 holiday looming next weekend, we have mixed news to report to those flying the colors of the red, white and blue entering the final round of the U.S. Women's Open on Sunday.

First, the good news.

American players top the leaderboard, with newly minted professional Stacy Lewis and 21-year-old veteran Paula Creamer leading the charge. Lewis is the best American prospect produced from the college ranks in years and Creamer, at No. 4, is the top-rated Yank in the world rankings.

Now the bad news.

Americans have won a mere six of the past 30 major championships on the women's side of the ledger. Creamer has never won a major and Lewis turned pro earlier this month. The only other American on the board is defending champion Cristie Kerr, who is seven shots off the lead.

Now, a smidgen or two of hope.

Of those six American victories at the majors, four came at the U.S. Open. Two of the players on the leaderboard, Inbee Park and Angela Park, have never won a professional tournament  in the States on the LPGA or Futures tours. Sweden's Helen Alfredsson, two shots behind Lewis, has blown two huge chances at winning the Open in the past and  is 43.

The only player within six shots who can claim a major champoionship to her credit is South Korea's Jeong Jang, a former British Open champion, at 3 under.

EDINA, Minn. -- Admit it, you are a little surprised.

When second-round play was suspended because of darkness on Friday night at the U.S. Women's Open, Michelle Wie had one hole remaining to play and had zero chance of making the cut. Based on some of the questionable decisions and stunts her camp has pulled over the years with regard to poor judgment and unprofessional behavior, it was no foregone conclusion that she'd show at the crack of dawn to finish her day.

Yet when play resumed Saturday morning at 7 a.m., Wie played the ninth hole, where she had made a 9 in the first round, swallowed her medicine and missed the cut by a Minnesota mile -- six shots at 10 over.

In what might result in a major game-plan reversal in her personal camp, Wie's father indicated that she might be entering LPGA Qualifying School in the fall. Wie, 18, isn't exempt on any tour at the moment and has been playing on an apparently dwindling supply of sponsor exemptions.

I specifically asked Wie about her Q-School plans earlier this week, and she indicated it was not an option because it conflicted with the fall semester at Stanford, where she will begin her sophomore year in a few weeks. She said she hoped to secure a card by making enough money in her LPGA-sanctioned events this year to forgo Q-School. So far, while her results have improved over a forgettable and injury-ravaged 2007,she's made $21,457 in four starts this season. She has three more exemptions remaining this year.

"I think the qualifying conflicts with school, so I probably won't go to that," Wie said Tuesday. "But hopefully, I'll make enough money this year to get exempt for next year. I'll see how it goes. I'm having a lot of fun playing good again, so that's all I'm focusing on now."

However, her father made it sound as though Q-school was a distinct possibility.

"What other options do we have?" B.J. Wie told the Associated Press on Saturday morning.

As it stands, Wie would have to navigate through two stages of Q-School in order to secure her card for 2009.

Say this: Showing up to finish the round was at least a minor step toward demonstrating some professional maturity. Earnings her spot in the Open this week by going through sectional qualifying was another. Gaining a card by surviving Q-School would earn her even more respect for a player for whom rules have been rewritten to allow her access.

Funny how fast things can change. Two years ago, she was No. 2 in the world rankings. At this point, Wie is earning at least $10 million annually from various commercial entities, but her playing options are limited and they aren't getting much positive exposure. In short, Wie needs the LPGA far more than the tour needs her.

EDINA, Minn. -- Don't look now, but a certain Swedish somebody is back in striking range at the U.S. Women's Open.

On second thought, do look now, because this is her last Open rodeo.

Annika Sorenstam, halfway through her final season, shot a 3-under 70 on Friday morning to move within five strokes of the lead as a weather delay settled over Interlachen Country Club.

As Sorenstam pointed out, it happens seemingly every year at the Open -- players start fast on Thursday, then slam the gearbox into reverse and try to make their early numbers stand up through the weekend. When the weather horn sounded Friday, the low number stood precisely where it was after Thursday's opening round -- at 6 under.

"I expect it to happen even more this weekend," Sorenstam said. "That's what U.S. Opens are all about. This golf course is set up very well and and yesterday a lot of people might say there were a lot of red numbers. I think that w