Who Grabbed Tiger by Tail With Woods On Sideline?

DORAL, Fla. -- As you may have heard, golf has been missing Tiger Woods ... and for that matter, Phil Mickelson, too.

For the first time since 1996, the year Woods arrived full-time to the PGA Tour, the season-starting West Coast swing did not include at least one victory by wither of the sport's two biggest headliners.

Early this year, it seemed a given that Woods' indefinite absence would provide Mickelson a running start to establish himself as golf's top dog -- maybe even to challenge for the No. 1 ranking he has never held.

Instead, PhillyMick has been almost as conspicuous by his absence as Woods.

Although Mickelson will tee off Thursday as defending champion in the CA Championship, a select-field World Golf Championship event on Doral Resort's Blue Monster, he has barely produced a ripple of impact this season -- with the exception of causing a stir over the non-conforming Ping wedges he played at Torrey Pines.

Now there's word that Woods is back on the practice range, working hard with teacher Hank Haney, in preparation for a coming-soon return to competition.

So, just who pulled the most out of the open window of opportunity? Who got while the getting was good?

"The obvious answer," said NBC golf analyst Gary Koch, "are Ben Crane and Ian Poulter."

"For these young guys to have done it, even while Tiger is away, I think it will help a lot when he comes back and they get in that situation."
- Gary Koch At the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, a tournament Woods had won five of the previous six years he played, Crane claimed his third career title.

Likewise, Poulter earned his first PGA Tour win at the Accenture World Match-Play Championship, an event in which Woods typically played well.

But fresh new faces in general took greater advantage of the situation than established names that logic suggested would fill the void created by Woods' absence.

Nothing from Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia or Padraig Harrington. Instead, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan and Camilo Villegas -- all identified as up-and-coming talents -- snagged wins, suggesting their arrival as the tour's new wave is official.

"I think it's just the evolution of the game," Mahan said. "Freddie (Couples) is going to the Champions Tour. Davis (Love) is going there pretty soon. Guys who have won a bunch on tour, they are moving on and the younger guys are coming up."

There's reason to suggest the transition was hastened by Woods' absence.

"I have to think some of these young guys are gaining some real confidence," said Koch, on site for this week's broadcast. "As a player, the more times you win, the more times you are there and get it done, the more times you will do it in the future. It just builds on itself.

"It's confidence. It's knowing you can handle the situation and so forth and so on. For these young guys to have done it, even while Tiger is away, I think it will help a lot when he comes back and they get in that situation."

If golf is willing to try hard enough, it might even make a case for Woods' leave (since it appears to be brief) having a golden lining.

News items that, if Woods were paying golf as normal, would have gone overlooked or even ignored, received attention.

Taking advantage of Woods absence is one thing, but benefiting from it is another. The top five beneficiaries:

Englishmen. Three of the world's top six ranked golfers are from the UK -- No. 4 Lee Westwood, No. 5 Poulter (right) and No. 6 Paul Casey. Poulter and Casey combined to produce an all-English final at the Match Play. The last time England was such a force in world golf, Old Tom Morris still had pimples.

"What goes through my mind is sitting in the press rooms eight years ago when we had two Englishmen in the top 100 and getting asked the question, 'What's going on with English golf?' " Casey said. "Now everybody is saying, 'Why are there so many Englishmen in the top 10?' I don't really have an answer for it, but I'm quite enjoying it."

Steve Stricker. The mild-mannered, Wisconsin cheesehead is the No. 2 ranked player in the world. He won three times last year and already has one title this year. The big difference, people actually talked about last month's title.

Rickie Fowler. The rookie has yet to win, but he sure has drawn a lot of attention. With the bright wardrobe, shagging hair and ton of promise, he was going to be noticed, but with no Tiger, golf all but threw him a welcome parade.

"It's interesting to me that, despite a very short career, you say the name Rickie and people know who it is," Koch said. "That does not happen very often in golf. Obviously, Tiger, Phil and Ernie to a certain extent. To me, that says a lot."

Camilo Villegas. Make no mistake, Villegas (top) has earned his new-found attention. In three appearance events, the 29-year-old native of Columbia has three top 10s, including Sunday's win at Honda and a third-place in the Match Play. Six of his last eight rounds have been in the 60s, including a career-low 62.

Woods' absence has nothing to do with Villegas good play, but again, it sure provided more attention.
"I've been really working on the mental side of the game," Villegas said. "It's a tricky game and it's so easy for people to say 'you've got to have a good attitude.' It's easier said than done. To say it and then to go out there and actually do it, and then focus on the process and get good results, it's fun."

Tavistock Cup. The unofficial team combination between Orlando's Lake Nona and Isleworth country clubs -- both with significant PGA Tour player membership -- typically gets zero attention other than filling some Golf Channel airtime.

But growing speculation that Woods will use the two-day day event on Monday and Tuesday of the Arnold Palmer Invitational week as a warmup makes it potentially the biggest deal of the season.

Or, if he does not play, not.

"Well, I guess it serves a purpose," Koch said. "It's certainly going to get a lot of attention if a certain man shows up."