Tough to deliver without Woods

As further proof that the PGA Tour season didn’t end when Tiger Woods had reconstructive knee surgery in June, the $63-million FedEx Cup playoff series starts today with the $7-million Barclays at Paramus, N.J. The show goes on, but the showstopper isn’t around.

No, Woods is famously absent, his return date is largely uncertain, the television ratings are in a free fall and the health of the tour he left behind is still to be determined.

When Woods said last week that he wasn’t going to be physically able to swing a club until 2009, warning bells started ringing in tournament offices from coast to coast, not to mention the PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

What if Woods can’t play until March, or April? What if the FedEx Cup and its ratings fizzle without him?

That’s way too much to start worrying about, said Ty Votaw, executive vice president for communications and international affairs for the PGA Tour.

“Tiger’s presence enhances any tournament, but the playoffs are structured to provide compelling competition . . . even when [No.] 1 or [No.] 2 of the top 10 are out.”

Neither Woods nor second-ranked Phil Mickelson played all four of the FedEx Cup playoff events last year, when Woods emerged as the champion and claimed a $10-million bonus.

As for entering the 2009 season with its top draw, meal ticket and star attraction still on the shelf, Votaw said there are others who have proved they can fill in nicely, such as Padraig Harrington, Anthony Kim and Sergio Garcia.

“I think some people may be surprised at how resilient the game can be,” he said.

While that may be true, Woods’ coach said the FedEx Cup series can’t avoid being harmed at least in some way because of Woods’ absence.

“Too bad about the ratings, but he’s the most recognizable athlete in the world,” Hank Haney said. “But right now, it doesn’t look great, does it?”

Haney said speculation that Woods would return by the Buick Invitational the first week of February may be misplaced.

“If you can’t swing a club until after the first of the year, I don’t know how he makes that one,” he said.

Haney said Woods is riding a stationary bicycle and has lowered his body fat to 7%. Haney is convinced that Woods will follow a conservative route in his rehabilitation and that when he returns, he’ll have a strong leg again.

But there is a different view, one that contends that Woods isn’t going to be the same when he returns.

“The sport has to be ready to accept a different Tiger,” said Neal ElAttrache, director of sports medicine at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic.

“To prolong his career, he may have to make some concessions. He may have to alter his swing somewhat. He’s going to have to adapt significantly to his situation. If he doesn’t, his career is going to be short-lived.”

ElAttrache, the Dodgers team doctor and a consultant for the Lakers, said that Woods’ unique, powerful swing features a left pivot leg that assumes the force of the impact and torque and is likely to be an area of concern after the ACL surgery.

That’s probably not even Woods’ greatest worry, said ElAttrache, who mentioned the condition of the surface cartilage in Woods’ left knee that has been surgically repaired four times since 1994.

ElAttrache said he would expect Woods to cut down on his playing schedule and perhaps play only the 15 events necessary to retain PGA Tour playing privileges.

“Swing after swing, his body has to withstand that one, then the next one, then the next tournament and the tournament after that,” he said. “His knee is a lot older than he is. There’s very little reserve in that knee.”

Notah Begay III was Woods’ roommate at Stanford when they played on the golf team and remains close to his Cardinal teammate. Begay said he knows Woods well enough not to underestimate his drive, even after injury.

“After what he did at the U.S. Open, they’re scratching their heads in wonderment,” Begay said. “Having known him nearly 20 years, he continues to ask more of himself.”

Coming back from injury is a tricky thing, even if your name is Woods, or Mickelson. Last year, Mickelson missed months after damaging his wrist hitting out of deep rough in practice at Oakmont Country Club to get ready for the U.S. Open.

He wound up missing the cut, but played hurt.

“People forget about that completely,” said Dave Pelz, Mickelson’s short-game guru. “His wrist hurt so badly, he shouldn’t have played. He’s really worked hard and changed his body this year. He worked out, got stronger and he’s just now starting to play well in his new body.

“I think he’s going to be better than he’s ever been.”

With a far more serious injury, Woods can only hope for the same forecast. But a faster return to his prime, or something approaching it, is still in debate.

“He’s not going to be over this injury for another year after he comes back,” Ernie Els said at the PGA Championship.

Els tore his left ACL in 2005 and didn’t win on the PGA Tour until March, almost three years after surgery. He has three major titles but none since the 2002 British Open.

Haney said the timetable for Woods’ return hasn’t changed since the June 24 surgery, at which time a six- to eight-month rehabilitation period was mentioned. Six months would mean late December, and eight months projects to late February.

“There’s no way to short-cut it, it’s just a long recovery,” said Haney, who met with Woods recently in Orlando and speaks with him regularly on the telephone. “It doesn’t matter if you’re superhuman, it doesn’t change the fact.”

At the Buick Invitational headquarters, they’re keeping their fingers crossed that Woods returns sooner rather than later.

“We did the math as soon as he had the surgery and we know we’re right on the cusp,” said Tom Wilson, tournament director.

Wilson hopes Woods sees an incentive to play Torrey Pines because he has won the tournament four years in a row, in addition to the good memories from his victory at the U.S. Open. Woods won his 14th major title when he defeated Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff despite playing with the torn ACL and a double stress fracture in his left leg.

Tom Pulchinski, tournament director for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera, hasn’t had Woods in the field the last two years, but hopes that changes in 2009. Pulchinski said he expects Woods to return faster than expected.

“He’ll probably do something more than the normal human being coming back.”

Haney has no doubt that Woods is on the right track. He said that there have been no setbacks in the rehabilitation and that Woods is doing well. He said that Woods could putt and chip now, but he isn’t doing it.

If the FedEx Cup needs Woods, the PGA Tour needs Woods, the networks need Woods and the tournaments need Woods, then Haney said everyone should just relax.

“My expectation is that Tiger will come back better than when he left,” Haney said. “I know Tiger Woods. I know how determined he is.

“It’s not a real bold prediction when I say he’s going to be better, when he won the U.S. Open on one leg. I mean, it’s not like I’m going out on a limb or anything. He’ll come back, don’t worry.”

--

thomas.bonk@latimes.com