Tiger Woods on Thursday made his first appearance in the PGA Tour Wyndham Championship, and an "estimated 24,000 fans showed up," mostly there "to watch Woods," according to Powell Latimer of the Greensboro NEWS & RECORD. Tournament Dir Mark Brazil said, "It was incredible. I've never seen anything like that." Brazil said that daily attendance around 24,000 is "typically what the Wyndham attracts on a good weekend ... but Woods' draw is powerful." Friday's second round "figures to see even higher attendance numbers," and the gate increase would "likely continue through the weekend, especially if Woods remains in contention." Brazil said that the Wyndham "plans to cap attendance" between 30,000 and 32,000 per day," adding that the course "could not handle much more than that" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 8/21). ESPN.com's Bob Harig noted those who have been coming to the tournament for years said that Thursday morning "looked like a typical Sunday afternoon." Brazil said that ticket sales "increased considerably, with some 10,000 more for Friday at a place that typically hopes to have 20,000 on the weekend days." But a 50% increase in attendance is "pretty much standard fare when Woods is involved." Brazil: "The Tiger factor is still very real. I've never seen it like this, lined up on both sides, several deep. Not even on a Sunday." Brazil said that concession sales also were up by 50% "so far," with merchandise sales also up by 40% (ESPN.com, 8/20). GLOBALGOLFPOST.com's Ron Green Jr. writes the crowds were a "reminder that Woods is still like no one else in golf." The event "hasn't looked" the way it did Thursday "in a long time, if ever." Thousands "ringed every hole Woods played." The hospitality chalets near the 15th green, usually empty at 9:45 on Thursday morning, were almost full." Critics and fans have "urged Woods to play more events, in part because of what his presence can mean to an event like the Wyndham Championship" (GLOBALGOLFPOST.com, 8/21).
