Tiger Woods prepared for his opening tee shot by taking no fewer than 50 dry swings with his driver. And it was quiet enough surrounding Olympia Fields’ 10th tee to hear every one of them.
An electric golf cart rolled by. A Metra train whirred past. A strong breeze created a clanking sound at the flagpole atop the giant clock tower.
“This is the 12:14 tee time,” said the announcer, a man wearing a green Western Golf Association coat on a scintillating day. “First to the tee, Carlos Ortiz.”
Nothing. No roars, no “you da man,” not even a polite golf clap from the couple dozen volunteers, media members and WGA officials.