Tiger's Indefinite Leave Clippings, The Golf Goes On Edition

Mark Lamport-Stokes talks to players about the start of the season and shares these candid comments from Geoff Ogilvy on the eve of the season opening SBS Championship.

"It's an interesting time right now," Ogilvy told reporters on Tuesday while preparing for his title defense at this week's SBS Championship on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

"No. 1 in the world might be up for realistic grabs this year, depending on how it all takes shape," he said. "Even if he does come back [this year], I imagine it will be a very limited schedule. Even if he comes back and wins, nobody knows what's going to happen.

"A lot of guys will be thinking 'here is my year,' " added the 14th-ranked Australian, who climbed to a career-high third in 2008.

Steve DiMeglio also previews the year and noted this about Tim Finchem, which was not in the transcript from his disastrous Tuesday press session.

Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who said the scandal surrounding Woods was the biggest "curveball" he's ever faced, rejected the "gloom and doom" outlook for golf in 2010.

Larry Dorman on the mood at Kapalua:

Whether that is for good or ill, Woods, who won 7 of the tour’s 10 money titles in the past decade, is hanging like a specter over all things golf. The questions that hang in the air with him are too numerous to mention, but the ones undergoing the most scrutiny on tour have to do with the competitive fallout of his absence because of a sex scandal.

They concern whether he will return, when that may be, the shape his game will be in and how he will deal with pressures he has never faced before — like the possibility of jilted fans jeering him or chilly receptions from sponsors.

Lawrence Donegan talks to various suits about the business of golf without Tiger.

"There were two other times in the last three years where he [Woods] took a prolonged leave of absence and on both occasions we came through it very well," says Ty Votaw, a PGA Tour spokesman.

"It isn't ideal that he isn't around, but maybe it behoves everyone in the sport to explore other stories and look to other players. People say Tiger Woods is the greatest ever but I have never been in that boat. There have been great players in the past and there will be great players in the future," says Brandel Chamblee, a commentator on the Golf Channel.

"When Arnold Palmer stopped playing the PGA Tour didn't grind to a halt. Tiger is a great player and he will be back at some point, but maybe this is a chance for other players to shine," says David Yates, president of Gaylord Sports Management, which represents 20 PGA Tour players, including Phil Mickelson.

Jeff Rude quotes several players about when Tiger may come back. No one goes on the record and several seem to actually think his marriage is a priority at this point. Apparently they haven't seen the latest photos of Elin in public (again) not wearing a ring.

And for those of you keeping track at home, Privacy is on the move.

US Weekly has Tiger staying with Knicks owner Jim Dolan, but his rep issues a strong denial to the New York Daily News.

Darren Rovell profiles Tiger impersonator Canh Oxelson, who is refusing to take advantage of Tiger's situation and may be losing work because of it.

“I was supposed to be a stand-in for a commercial a week after this all came out and that never came to fruition,” Oxelson, whose day job is the dean of students at a high school in southern California. “And since then, I’ve had other people pull contracts off the table.”

Stephanie Wei with help from Ryan Ballengee explains how Tiger has his corporations structured and named. Both are tied to private jets being tracked by those hoping to figure out where Tiger is.

Jaimee Grubbs is in minute 13 of her fame run, posing for Maxim and talking about her photo shoot in this video.

The Daily Beast talks to several clairvoyant folks including an "Intuitive Medium Metaphysician," a "Spiritual Teacher & Channel for Healing," and my favorite, Mama Donna a self-described "Urban Shaman." They offer thoughts on Tiger's well-being and his whereabouts. Mama Donna goes out on a limb:

I did a tarot card reading for Tiger. His year doesn’t look good. The theme of the reading was an upset balance. All of his cards were upside down. He is resisting learning a lesson here. He’s coming out of a period called Devil’s Play. I call the card “Sex, Drugs & Rock and Roll.” He’s also dealing with the Emperor card, and the card is reversed, meaning his empire is upside down. There’s a denial and refusal to deal on his part. The opportunity for spiritual growth is not going to be fulfilled. He’s partially disappointed in himself, and also disappointed that he got caught. Bottom line is, he doesn’t get it. And his marriage wasn’t in the cards at all—that’s not so good.

Finally, Rick Sanchez talked to Buddhist Ethan Nichtern about Brit Hume's comments and what Tiger may be getting out of his Buddhist teachings: