Tiger Skipping Memorial: A Break For The USGA?

With four straight Buick Invitational wins at Torrey Pines and six overall, Tiger Woods is even more of a U.S. Open favorite than normal. Mike Davis, the USGA's Director of Rules and Competitions, has joked that if Tiger does not win the Open at Torrey, the USGA would be blamed.

But with it now official that he will play no warm up event, has Tiger taken some pressure off of the USGA setup to produce him as a winner? Or is this simply the most inane question ever posed on this blog? 

Hey, it's Friday and I have to get back to the Laker game. 

Comments

[Tom Ierubino]

I didn't see anywhere where it was ruled out that Tiger could play in Memphis the week before the Open. I don't think he will, but has anyone seen any comments from him about Memphis or questions put to him about it?

[Jim Nugent]

Do we even know if he will play in the Open?

[Martni Del Vecchio]

He'll play in the Open even if Stevie has to carry him around. Without the injury, he was a mortal lock to win the only major he has won "only" twice. With the injury, he's now just a prohibitive favorite.