Masters 2012: Tiger Woods' Plummeting Likability Makes Him Hard to Root for

Everyone loves a comeback, and in that sense, it's nice to see the way Tiger Woods is rebounding.

But then you remember everything that got Woods to this point—and you consider guys like Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson—and you wonder why you're rooting for Tiger.

Watching the greatest golfer in the world experience a fall from grace as severe as Tiger's wasn't fun for anyone. After his extramarital affairs were revealed in 2009, he lost his sponsorships, his credibility and even his golf game for a little while. Only now, more than two years later, is he poised to win his first major since before the scandal broke loose.

Tiger has blamed his indiscretions on the fact that he felt "entitled," that he got caught up in his own hype. His former golf coach paints him as irritable and stingy. Recently, Tiger's half-brother told ESPN.com's Rick Reilly that he, his brother and his sister haven't heard from Tiger in six years.

Those who know him best paint a picture of someone who isn't that likable at all, which makes it interesting to consider why fans seem to be so desperate to see him win this year at Augusta.

The suspense of Tiger's alleged comeback makes him fun to watch. Even casual golf fans will likely be tuned in all weekend to the Masters to see if he'll be able to pull off the win in a tournament in which he's favored, a tournament that would give him his fifth green jacket.

But that's not the same as rooting for him.

The Associated Press' Tim Dahlberg wrote that Nielsen and E-Poll's N-Score, a survey that measures endorsement potential, revealed that only 17 percent of respondents said they like Woods, compared with 52 percent who like Mickelson.

And why not? When you look at this year's field at the Masters, it's hard not to root for Mickelson, who, at age 41, is no spring chicken compared to Woods and McIlroy. He hasn't won a Masters since 2010, and this one would be his fourth, tying him with the mighty Tiger.

And then there's McIlroy, the 22-year-old who has seemingly been on the brink of superstardom for over a year and perhaps just needs that elusive win at Augusta to achieve it. Last year, he headed into the final round of the Masters with a four-shot lead and ended up shooting an 80, good for a 15th-place tie.

Talk about redemption. Who wouldn't want to see the excitable, unassuming kid become the next Tiger?

It's possible to separate the player from the game—to separate the Tiger who turned himself into a public embarrassment from the one Tiger is still spectacular to watch on the golf course. But maybe it's time for a new golf idol to step into the limelight.

It would be nice to see Tiger make a comeback, but it might be even better to see someone new emerge as a legend.