Hyundai Tournament Of Some Champions Field Still Dwindling

With Geoff Ogilvy's unfortunate finger injury putting his Kapalua start in doubt and Zach Johnson iffy despite pledging to play, the Hyundai Tournament Of Even Fewer Champions just can't buy a break.

Before the carnage inflicted by some of the world's most beautiful beaches, Robert Lusetich explored the event's struggle to attract more of the preceding year's winners. Hardly an original topic, but he does offer this fresh take:

The devolution of Kapalua as a big event is symbolic of a shift in power in world golf. The best players in the world, aside from Woods and Mickelson, no longer are Americans. Nor are they PGA Tour members. They play into Christmas on the European Tour and don’t feel any obligation to support Finchem’s tour as they take time off.

This isn’t likely to be a short-term issue as the best up-and-coming players, with the exception of Rickie Fowler, are from Europe or Asia: McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa, Matteo Manassero and Noh Seung-yul.

This is the new world order.

Beyond that geopolitical shift, doesn’t it say something that Mickelson won’t play in Hawaii but will head over to Abu Dhabi in a few weeks? Woods is scheduled to also play the Gulf Swing, headlining at the Omega Desert Classic in Dubai. Also going to the Middle East will be, of all people, Steve Stricker.