Tiger Woods: Low-Pressure Tournament Exactly What He Needs

For all intents and purposes, the PGA Tour's season ends with the PGA Championship in mid-August. There are tournaments that occur afterwards, but to the casual golf fan they are more like sideshows than actual attractions.

The Frys.com Open is one of these sideshows. This year, though, it's as much of an attraction as it has probably ever been. The tournament has the presence of Tiger Woods to thank for that.

Yes, Tiger, who has become something of a sideshow in his own right, is teeing it up right now at CordeValle. Because this is the first tournament he's played in since the PGA Championship, and because he is testing out a new caddie in Joe LaCava, it's kind of a big deal.

Well, it is and it isn't. Everyone is definitely curious to see how Tiger will play after so many months off, but the tournament itself is of little consequence. If Tiger doesn't win it, and he likely won't, it won't go into the books as yet another disappointment.

But this is not to say that Tiger does not need this tournament. On the contrary, he needs it very badly. This has, for the most part, been a bad year for Tiger. He's failed to impress in the bulk of the tournaments he's played in, and he missed a good chunk of the year recuperating from injuries he suffered at the Masters. By his own admission (per USA Today) what Tiger needs right now more than anything else are reps.

In a sense, the Frys.com Open is therefore something of a multi-day practice round for Tiger. That there is an actual competition going on is a secondary concern for him. An add-on, if you will.

Because the world is a much more orderly place when Tiger is playing well, I for one hope he plays well. Though 2011 will forever be remembered as a lost year for him, he can salvage it if he plays good golf at the finish line.

A true strong finish for Tiger can only be achieved in the Presidents Cup, which kicks off in November. The Presidents Cup offers a chance for Tiger to play legitimately competitive golf, and his year will end on a very high note if he is actually able to keep up with the competition throughout.

Had Tiger simply rolled out of bed and started playing in the Presidents Cup, disaster would have ensued. He probably would have been able to get away with it in his glory years, but those have passed him by. If he wants to taste success again, he's going to have to work for it.

That's exactly what you're seeing Tiger do right now at CordeValle. He's not trying to win anything, and he's not trying to impress anyone. He's merely putting in his work.

In other words, he's doing what he has to do.