"We gave him his first exemption."

Before we crown another winner here in L.A., I wanted to post this item from Jill Painter that ran earlier this week in the L.A. Daily News and earning huge eye rolls from the assembled scribes. Quoting Rick Waddell of Northern Trust on the chances of luring Tiger back to the Northern Trust Open:

"I fully expect he'll play in the Northern Trust Open in some years ahead," Waddell said. "When he does, I hope I'll present him the trophy like I did with Phil last year."

Mickelson had taken the Northern Trust Open off his schedule for five years before returning in 2007, when he lost in a playoff.

Woods isn't playing the event for the third consecutive year. He's played 11 times at Riviera, including two as an amateur, but has never won here. It's Woods' longest tenure at a tournament without a victory.

This is essentially a home tournament for Woods, who grew up in nearby Cyrpess, so Waddell has good selling points.

"This is a golf course that's very familiar to him," Waddell said. "We gave him his first exemption."

We?