Phil and Tiger

While watching the WGC-HSBC Champions from Shanghai, China on television this weekend, I must have seen 25 commercials for the "Tiger Tour". Maybe they should be calling it the "Phil Tour" given the way that Phil Mickelson beat Tiger in their last two head-to-head competitions! I think that the commercials were referring to this tournament, the JBWere Australian Masters in Melbourne, Australia and the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Los Angeles before the regular PGA Tour resumes in January 2010, but they might have been talking about the PGA Tour in general.

After the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament, Phil Mickelson is taking 11 weeks of vacation to spend with his family before coming back in late January at his home course, Torrey Pines in San Diego. Maybe Phil will get in the gym and work on his conditioning and strength, rather than eating bons bons for 3 months. Tiger got on his private plane and jetted to Melbourne for the JBWere Australian Masters starting this Thursday. He is being paid a $3 million appearance fee to play in the tournament. JBWere, the tournament sponsor, is an Australian wealth management company with approximately $10 billion in managed assets. The company made the strategic marketing decision that having its name associated with Tiger Woods at a golf tournament pays for itself many times over.

It is really good to be Phil and Tiger and the two of them are good for each other. Although Tiger is unbelievably self-motivated, it always helps to have someone pushing you a little bit and forcing you to play your best and Phil has the talent and skill to play with Tiger. You can be sure that losing twice in a row to Phil Mickelson will not sit well with Tiger and he will be ready and rearing to go when he returns for the 2010 PGA Tour. Phil needs Tiger to see what greatness he could accomplish with the effort, determination and single-mindedness of Tiger Woods. And the PGA Tour needs both of them at the top of their games.