PGA Tour season opener to be sans Tiger, other big names

Tiger Woods, after winning the Target World Challenge rather easily Sunday, said he would not start his 2008 season until he defends his title in the Buick Invitational at the end of January, making it the third consecutive year he has skipped the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship at Hawaii that starts the U.S. PGA Tour (Jan 3).

Woods said he wanted to spend time at home over the next five weeks before gearing up for the new season.

``I enjoy that time off,'' he said on Sunday after winning the Target World Challenge, his first event after a 10-week break. ``Kapalua does a fantastic job, and I've played well out there. I just enjoy the time at home with my family.''

The U.S. tour has opened its season at Kapalua every year since 1999, but it has yet to get all the winners from the previous years.

Phil Mickelson has not played at Kapalua since 2001 and isn't expected to play next month, although tournament officials have not heard from him. British Open champion Padraig Harrington also is skipping the Mercedes because January is when the Irishman takes his one big break during the season. He will start at Abu Dhabi on the European tour.

``We're disappointed that our event will be missing Woods, Mickelson and Harrington,'' Kapalua vice president Gary Planos said. ``But there are no guarantees with a field, even when it's champions only. The Mercedes-Benz Championship still has 32 great champions playing here.''

Tiger certainly has earned the right to pick and choose when he plays. And the fact that the PGA season tees off in just two weeks shows that golf season is just too long - and the 2008 season has already started in Europe!