Players past and present told Golf Night that Tiger Woods' injury was a big blow to the game.
Legend shocked by US Open champ's lengthy lay-off
Golf Night gauged the reaction of players past and present after it was revealed that Tiger Woods will be sidelined for the rest of the season through injury.
The World No. 1 faces reconstructive surgery on his troublesome left knee after suffering a double stress fracture of his left tibia, and will also undergo anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
It means that the man who won the US Open in such dramatic style will miss the year's two remaining majors, as well as the Ryder Cup match against Europe in Kentucky, and his fellow professionals are under no illusions that his absence is a big blow for the PGA tour.
Golfing legend Arnold Palmer, who has won seven major championships - half of Tiger's current haul - admitted his temporary loss would hit the whole game hard.
"To have him not to be able to play for a year is shocking," Palmer told
Golf Night.
"It's shocking to Tiger I'm sure and shocking to the golf world.
"He'll be sorely missed and I hope it doesn't have too much of a dramatic effect on the game and where the game is going because he has produced some of the most brilliant golf we have ever seen."
Sad
World No. 9 Vijay Singh added: "It's sad to know he's not going to play for the rest of the season but he needs to fix his knee if his career is going to go on.
"I think he's doing the right thing."
Bob Tway, 8-time winner on the PGA Tour, also lamented Woods' misfortune but he agreed that the Californian was right to concentrate on making a full recovery.
"It's sad for golf because obviously Tiger is the man and we need him out here," said Tway.
"But as long as he gets back to feeling good and comes back next year, it'll be fine."
And Notah Begay, a 4-time winner on the PGA Tour and a former college team mate of Woods, allayed fears that the world's highest-paid professional athlete will never return to full fitness by inisisting that common sense would prevail where his health was concerned.
"I've known him long enough not to question his decision-making - he seems to make good decisions that are in the interests of his performances and the longevity of his career," Begay revealed.
"I know the Tour and the tournaments and the sponsors are all hopeful that he'll play for as long as he can because he makes such a contribution to the economic vitality of these events but also exposure that golf's getting."
