Tiger runs dry in the desert

16 October 2014 - 02:00 By James Corrigan, © The Daily Telegraph
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Is Tiger Woods losing his appeal? Is the lure of the greatest player of his generation not as valuable as it used to be?

Certainly that appears the case in the Middle East, where for the first time in a decade the UAE will not be paying an active Woods his enormous appearance fee next year.

The organisers of the Abu Dhabi Championship and the Desert Classic will not be shelling out the $2-million to $3-million Woods requires to make the trip.

Although the position of the Dubai competition is complicated by the fact that it is sponsored by a rival watchmaker to the one that endorses Woods, it is believed they would not have been willing to meet the demands for the presence of this sporting icon.

It can surely be seen as the end of an era, as the only times in the past 10 seasons when Woods did not appear on the European Tour "Gulf swing" were in 2009 and 2010, when he was recovering from a knee operation and in the midst of a very public scandal.

Otherwise, it has become something of a tradition for Woods to play one of his first events of the year in the UAE, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi at times competing for his signature.

A tour insider said: "Of course, Tiger is still a huge name, but those tournaments are not prepared to spend their entire budget on one man.

"There are other players of big interest now, not least Rory McIlroy.

"In these market conditions, at those prices, Woods does not represent the value he once did."

Not that Woods is without global suitors prepared to offer huge sums. It was reported that he was to receive $4-million for playing in the America's Golf Cup in Buenos Aires this month, as well as another $40-million for playing in two one-day corporate events in China.

But after his failed return from back surgery earlier this year, Woods elected to rest until appearing at his own event in Florida in December.

It will be intriguing to see if Woods will still commands such figures, although obviously that will depend on the success or otherwise of this next comeback.

But there is a growing sense that putting all the eggs in the Woods basket does not make the sense it once did, particularly as his form can no longer beguaranteed.

So Woods's desert adventure comes to its end. For so long they appeared made for each other - the genius with everything and the sheikhs who could offer him a bit more.

There were two Desert Classic titles and a proposed $1-billion golfing and residential development for which Woods reportedly received $55-million up front. But then came the downturns in finance and reputations for both, and now they are no longer the perfect match.

It was nice while it lasted.

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