If I lose, well, I've lost to one of the best players of golf in history".
In 1992, he defended his title at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, becoming the first multiple winner; competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open (he missed the 36-hole cut); and was named Golf Digest Amateur Player of the Year, Golf World Player of the Year, and Golfweek National Amateur of the Year.
He is ever hopeful about his home-town Cubs, and a devoted player, and fan, of golf — "though I have to confess, I miss Tiger".
The Players Championship, one of golf's most prestigious events, begins Thursday at the TPC at Sawgrass, with Woods headlining a field that includes 49 of the top 50 in the world rankings.
The number of poker players exceeds practitioners of golf, tennis, and billiards combined.
"If you use the boxing analogy, one of the key takeaways is that if a fight is fantastic, no one cares how much money was made, you're only talking about the competitive match," said Barry, who oversees Turner's coverage of the PGA Championship and, in the past, did the four-player Grand Slam of Golf made-for-TV event.
Castle Stuart has attracted just two of the world's top 25 players this week, with many of golf's leading players preparing for the Open away from competitive action.
"He had his problems outside of golf," Player said.
Such a policy might not do in the development of any reputation as the greatest, most exciting player in the history of golf.
