Tiger restores PGA magic in Palmer win

There isn't really any way to describe what happened Sunday night. It would be rhetorical at this point. Like Joe Posnanski once wrote, I knew he would make that putt.

Back Monday with a coverage blowout from Woods' win.

Tiger practices — how to say this? — a lot

I took this picture with my phone but thought it would be worth noting that this was shown during today's final round coverage of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

In case you wondered how Tiger Woods rehabbed from his knee injury, he worked out — a lot.

I have no idea how many balls a professional would hit during three driving range trips. Maybe a thousand or so?

That's a lot of swings. His work is showing today, as he only trails Sean O'Hair by one stroke after making his third birdie of the front nine. O'Hair looks timid but still needs to focus on maintaining at worst, a share of the lead.

Tune in this afternoon if you want to hear Johnny Miller obsess over Tiger for the next two hours. I have to admit, the coverage has been favored — painfully, at times — to Woods. But what do you expect? He is the one playing well. He is the story today.

Might wanna keep the women and children away from the TV, however. Woods has displayed some of his, as Miller called it, military language. You didn't have to be a lip-reader to see Woods "You've got to be f*cking kidding me" reaction to a lip-out par putt earlier this afternoon.

Screen Capture/NBC Sports

Can Tiger find his first win?

Tiger Woods. Sean O'Hair. Final round pairing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Sound familiar?

Sure does. Woods and O'Hair played in last season's final group, beginning as a part of a five-way tie for the top spot at Bay Hill. Woods won that battle in dramatic fashion, draining a lengthy putt and famously burying his Nike lid in the turf. (Video below)

Today? O'Hair starts with a five-shot lead, one that appears almost insurmountable for a field that has just a handful of players above the even-par line. There should be plenty of drama for fans locally, as Cedar Rapids native Zach Johnson is -1 for the tournament and will get plenty of face time on Sunday afternoon.

Whether he, or Woods, for that matter, have an actual chance to win is a different story.

I love today's action for three reasons:

1. I met Sean O'Hair in Hawaii earlier this year and he is a great guy. Could not have been more pleasant in the few minutes we chatted the week of the Mercedes Championship.

2. The final round is a clear example of professional golf's marketing wars. Sean O'Hair is wearing adidas, playing TaylorMade's new r9 driver and will be plastered with the TMaG logos. Tiger, playing Nike's newest and best equipment and touting its apparel, will have to split face time all afternoon. If O'Hair wins — yes, even with a five-shot cushion — Woods loses and for another day on Tour, TaylorMade and adidas beat Nike in a four-hour time slot of continuous advertising on national television. There will be enough slow-motion replays of O'Hair smashing the shiny, new r9 driver and Tiger blasting his Nike blades to make CEOs drool.

3. I love golf. I love watching golf on TV. I love when Tiger is the "underdog" in a Sunday situation but the announcers talk like he is winning for 18 holes. Most of all, I hope to see a moment like this:

The PGA Tour — where "Tigering out" happens.

More Garcia-related giveaway goodness

As if Sergio Garcia's PLAYERS Championship' promotion weren't enough, Golfsmith announced this week that the company will give away free TaylorMade Golf drivers if the Spaniard wins the Masters, according to Advertising Age.

Garcia, long regarded as the World's best player never to win a major, will play a role in the promotion that will refund the cost of thousands of consumer-purchased TaylorMade drivers including the r7, Burner, and r9 drivers. There are plenty of pessimists regarding the promotional move — Golfsmith did, however, take out an insurance policy — including a columnist at Golfweek. Per the story:

"It's a bit of a safe bet for the company. Of the four majors, Garcia has been least effective in The Masters," said Jim McCabe, columnist for GolfWeek magazine. "It would be nice if Golfsmith/TaylorMade would be a bit bolder and offer the free deal if Sergio wins any major in 2009. But I give them credit for a campaign that has some positives to it."

McCabe's lack of optimism is the golf world's consumer delight, giving a breed of casual fans reason to cheer for Garcia at Augusta National in a few weeks.

Tiger practices at Bay Hill

Tiger Woods was out early for a practice round at Bay Hill, where he is a five-time champion. Check out this cool photo slideshow featured on Golf.com.

Just look at the determination in that man's eyes. And for only a practice round!