Ryder Cup Betting / Steven Rawlings / 19 September 2010 /

A strong Ryder Cup will be viewed as a big win for Tiger both with his fans but also his corporate sponsors. The Punter says it's an opportunity he won't pass up on...

He'd never admit it, but I suspect Tiger Woods may have considered the Ryder Cup something of a nuisance in previous years but I'd wager he has a very different viewpoint this time around.

When at the height of his powers and viewed by all (including his long list of sponsors) as a role model in every sense, almost the only thing that motivated Tiger Woods was Tiger Woods. All he was interested in was winning or as he would so succinctly put it week after week "double-Us" (say it out loud if you don't get it).

Team events weren't really his thing, he'd want to win obviously but I suspect Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup success were considered lower case double-Us and his record backs that up. Considering he's arguably the greatest player that's ever lived, his record of just nine points from a possible 24 in his five appearances to date is far from terrific. But things are all very different this year. He won't just be playing for the team; he'll be playing to make a start on rebuilding his tattered reputation.

Having struggled with his game after his lengthy lay-off, Tiger's finally getting somewhere close to his pre-affairs airing form. It's taken a long while though and he's had to rely on a captain's wildcard pick to make the team. Amazingly there were plenty of commentators that felt he shouldn't have been given a pick, an opinion I certainly didn't subscribe to. What I did ponder though, is did he want one? There must have been at least a moment, and maybe quite a bit longer, that he would have considered missing out on the trip to Wales altogether. After all, it will certainly have its downsides.

Quite how he'll fit in with the group now, with plenty of the team being religious, including Captain Corey, who no doubt wouldn't have approved of his multiple misdemeanors, is one issue. Then there's the question of how the player's wives will react to him? And what of the press attention? I'd be very surprised if the tabloids haven't saved at least one juicy story for Ryder Cup week. But Tiger Woods is many things and an idiot isn't one of them and he'll know this is a massive opportunity. This is a real chance to make a start on restoring his standing with the US public - from the fans in front of their TVs to the corporate bosses.

Once he gets his game back up to scratch Tiger will, in all likelihood, go on to win a few more majors but I doubt that will endear him to his public, they'd almost expect it, but a good week in Wales will make a huge difference. Picture the scenes across the States as Woods powers his way to a maximum five points to ensure that they keep hold of the trophy, the positive comments from all his comrades, his captain and his press. In the space of just three days he can do an awful lot of repair work.

As Paul Krishnamurty alludes to, it often pays to stick with the more obvious candidates in the top pointscorer markets and for my money Woods looks a tremendous price for this year's renewal.

If he does pull it off it will be hailed as a great team performance, the year Tiger Woods became a team player maybe, but it will be no such thing. It'll all be done for the benefit of one man, Eldrick Tiger Woods.

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