Tiger Woods is scheduled to make his return to the PGA Tour at this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational nearly three months after playing his last competitive round, and media coverage of his press conference yesterday showed that he "still triggers a frenzy wherever he goes," according to Bob Dyer of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL. Immediately following the announcement last Thursday that he "would make his long-awaited return from the disabled list" this week, requests for media credentials "shot up." Since Woods "tweeted his intentions, 18 more news organizations and 30 more reporters have signed on," bringing the "total media attendance to 367 reporters from 125 organizations and nine countries." N.Y. Times golf reporter Larry Dorman yesterday in the media workroom said, "I’ve been here on Tuesday before, and I’ve never seen as many people in this room as I’m looking at right now. There’s always a different vibe when Tiger’s around. Now it’s different in a way." Dyer reports ESPN's Tom Rinaldi was "among those whose plans changed" because of Woods. Rinaldi was "scheduled to cover another event this week but was redirected at the last minute." Meanwhile, Akron police officer Mike Gilbride said, "We definitely ramped up our security. We were not supposed to be here today. When they found out Tiger was coming, they wanted an additional four officers" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 8/3). In Charlotte, Ron Green Sr. wrote Woods is "going to brighten up pro golf this week the way no other can," and his return will "turn on a lot of TV sets." Green: "You may not approve of his off-the-course activities or his on-the-course language but when Tiger's playing, it's hard to take your eyes off him" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/2).
