Tiger Woods’ Phoenix Open appearance would be ‘monumental,’ says Notah Begay

Tiger Woods has yet to tip his hand about whether he’ll play at the Waste Management Phoenix Open over Super Bowl week, but Eldrick confidant Notah Begay intimated Wednesday night that this season’s edition of the rowdiest venue on the PGA Tour will be a tad more raucous than it has been in 14 years.

Begay, in his Tiger segment on Golf Channel, did nothing to lower expectations that Woods -- per a Golf.com report -- planned a major change to his usual playing schedule by putting TPC Scottsdale on his calendar for the first time since 2001. Indeed, the GC analyst who hooked Woods up with his new swing consultant, Chris Como, and whom his former Stanford teammate trusts implicitly, believes the event would do wonders for Tiger as he returns to competition.

“It would add an element of fun,” said Begay, who noted that the last year was anything but that for Woods.

“Dealing with injury, and all the scrutiny, and the poor play really have taken a toll,” he said about Woods’ bad back that required surgery, forced a lengthy hiatus, and contributed to the former world No. 1’s worst season as a professional.

Begay would recommend the Phoenix event to his friend, who would enjoy the “super-friendly,” if “boisterous” fans. “It’s a fun place to play and it’s a place where Tiger could really thrive and figure out where his mechanics are.”

The WMPO makes sense from a golf perspective as well, what with the “minimal wind [and] wonderful practice facilities,” added Begay, who, purposefully or with a slip of the tongue, made it sound as if Woods’ appearance were a fait accompli.

“He’s going to be able to get some wonderful work in as far as his mechanics and get some game reps, which is all the more important,” he said.

Begay also suggested that adding Phoenix to the rota would signal a significant shift in Woods’ approach to, well, everything.

“It’s a reflection on some of the changes he’s made in his life,” said Begay, who piqued the interest of Woods watchers about what to expect next from Team Tiger.

“He’s trying to really reach out and do some things differently with his career, and the schedule would be a wonderful way to do that,” Begay said. “It would be a great reflection on him and his willingness to add some things that not only benefit his game, but also benefit the PGA Tour, the other players, and the city of Phoenix.”

And what about an event that needs no extra shot of adrenaline?

“If he were to play in Phoenix,” Begay said, “it would be monumental, it would be phenomenal. It would add a tremendous amount of hype and energy ... into an already over-charged event.” Par-tay!