Tiger's Returning At The Masters Clippings, Vol. 1

Jason Sobel at ESPN.com:

When Tiger rejoins the competitive arena for the first time since winning the JBWere Masters in Australia on Nov. 15, he will very likely be a changed man. More contrite. More polite. More cautious around media and fans.

We'll see!

Ron Sirak at GolfDigest.com:

To return to competition at a major without the benefit of a tournament or two to get his competitive legs back is to engage in a dangerous high-wire act before what will be an extremely large TV audience, most of whom are not well versed in the subtleties of golf or even competitive sports, for that matter. Golf is like basketball. You do not regain your game legs on the practice range. You get your chops back only under the pressure of competition.

LaTina Emerson, writing for the Augusta Chronicle, tries to gauge whether Tiger's presence will impact hospitality. It sounds like corporate sales were awful again this year.

“At this point, a lot of corporate is out of it. They can’t make a decision this close to the event,” said Glen Bynum, the director of sales for The 1018 Club on Azalea Drive. “So while it may bring a temporary spike in pricing, it’s still going to be mostly golf fans, rather than corporate fans this year.”

Bynum said that smaller companies in surrounding areas might attend the event now, but the economy also plays a factor, he said.

“Even last year when he played, it was a down year due to the economy. While it may bring in more fans and smaller businesses, the larger groups aren’t going to make any last minute decisions to come,” Bynum said.

The 1018 Club doesn’t anticipate having to make changes in food or staffing. However, customers will have a “better time” now that he’s playing, he said.

Jeff Shain tracks down Arnold Palmer for his reaction.

“It’s a bit disappointing to all of us,” Palmer said from his office above locker room at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Asked if he would have liked the API to be the venue for Woods’ highly anticipated comeback — and all the hubbub certain to come with it — Palmer said: “It’s a mixed situation. But we’d certainly like to have him play.”

And John Strege shows us that there is at least one body in golf that won't resort to maudlin statements about Tiger's return: Malcolm Booth speaking for the R&A: