US News

Missing link will put PGA in rough

Now that Tiger Woods has turned tail on the PGA Tour, pro golf’s bottom line is going to get mauled.

The new season, which starts Jan. 4 in Hawaii, will be the second in a row to begin without golf’s biggest star.

If the past is any guide, a Tiger-free 2010 will be a major financial hit.

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This past season, when Tiger missed the first few months of competition while recovering from knee surgery, the PGA’s average TV viewership dropped nearly 50 percent, from 4.5 million to 2.5 million.

Yesterday, golfer Greg Norman worried about what the pro tour will do now.

“There’s obviously some damage control that will have to be put into position and put into play. There’s no question about that,” Norman reportedly said. “[Tiger] is the leader of the pack. He does represent the PGA Tour, he does represent golf in a lot of ways.”

The PGA tried to keep a brave face, saying it understood Woods’ move.

“We fully support Tiger’s decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family,” PGA officials said in a statement. “His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family’s request for privacy. We look forward to Tiger’s return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him.”

todd.venezia@nypost.com