It would be easy to suggest he only plays the courses on which he has had success, but that's true for everybody. Jack Nicklaus won 73 times in his PGA Tour career at 37 different tournaments, although the schedule looked much different in the 1960s, before Nicklaus and Palmer led a revolt that created the PGA Tour.
Everything Woods does, everywhere he plays is geared toward getting ready for the majors.
Where does that leave everyone else?
In a clear case of the haves and have-nots, two tournament directors were standing next to each other near the putting green Tuesday morning at Bay Hill.
One was Steve Timms, who is making all the right moves for the Shell Houston Open.
Timms helped Houston snag the week before the Masters, and Redstone will be set up this year with fast greens and collection areas, appealing to players who want to compete before going to Augusta. Among those planning to play are Els, Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and defending champion Adam Scott.
That would be a strong field, the envy of many tournaments.
But it won't have Tiger.
``That's the first question I get asked,'' Timms said. ``The reality is, Tiger has set his schedule and he's had tremendous success. Everyone would love to have him. We hope someday he'll change his mind. But we're going to do everything we can in areas we can control.''
The other tournament director was Kym Hougham of the Wachovia Championship, where Woods is the defending champion.
Hougham is blessed with a good date (the week before The Players Championship) and a great course at Quail Hollow. Woods heard so much about it that he began playing in 2004 and only skipped the year his father died.
``We're fortunate our golf course attracted him,'' Hougham said.
Hougham has lived on the other side of the tracks. He was the tournament director of the John Deere Classic, where Woods hasn't been since he lost to Ed Fiori in his third tournament as a pro. Hougham sympathizes with tournaments that don't get Woods.
``It's a dwindling opportunity because of the majors, the WGCs, and now the playoffs,'' Hougham said. ``It's like in college, when you have requirements and electives. We're the electives. And there are lot more requirements now.''
The four majors, three WGCs, three playoff events and The Players Championship take up 11 spots on Woods' schedule. There has been only two additions to his schedule since 2002 - Wachovia and the AT&T National, his own tournament.
Otherwise, he plays against strong fields on strong courses. Mostly, he plays where he wins.
So far, it appears to be working.
