Misleading title really.  It's not a question about Tiger versus the rest but the actual format of the Buick Invitational. 

Should everyone competing have the same exact scenario in a single or team sport ?

Now I don't see anything wrong with on the final 2 days the leading players going last and maybe getting a competitive edge, they obviously get to see conditions and what everyone else is doing.  Having played better the previous 2 days it would seem their right.  This is similar to the Motor sport analogy of qualifying and the fastest car/bike being on pole position. 

But can you hold a fair event with golfers playing on 2 different courses on the first 2 days like with the Buick Invitational this week ? Okay everyone plays the same course on the final 2 days but surely this could result in an unfair competitive advantage.

It's noted that the South course is the harder of the 2 and will be used for this year's US Open but golf is also controlled by the elements.  Some could have played on the easier North course on the Thursday and then had to contend with the harder South course on the Friday in terrible conditions.  Potentially the golfers playing the reverse would have had an easier time.  Is this fair ?  

On a similar vine and something of relevance to me, can a stableford competition be fair if a 2 tee start is used and some start on the 1st and others on the 10th ?

Out of interest anyone know the official ruling for countback in this scenario ?  Thankfully I didn't have to worry about that at the 2 tee start at the Wokefield Park event last year.

Regards, Darren. 

Darren, if players teeing off in the morning play in nice warm sunshine, and then the weather cahanges in the afternoon say wind and rain should play be suspended until the sun shines again.

I agree playing on 2 different courses is not fair but you are talking about america!!

No to the suggestion about changes in weather conditions. I think we all except this and this is the same for sports with time trials such as Rally and Cycling.

I do think they have gone to far with 2 different courses though.  I supposed sports nowadays are very heavily influenced by the commercial aspect and this is ture for players also.

just out of curiosity how are the pairs drawn up ? are names just pulled out of a hat ?

guess theres just too many players and they gotta accomdate them somehow, bit difficult if your two favourits players u wanna watch are on the opposite courses tho !!  lol

I kind of agree that they should all play the same course but I'm not sure it should matter to the pro's. Also the same could be said for the crysler classic where this was played on four courses this year.

I think Crysler is fine because they all play the same courses on the same day. 

This is the same for the Scottish pro-am links event over 3 courses, which I can't remember the name of.

Dunhill cup?

Actually Darren, they don't, they play all four courses at different times. Not sure about the Dunhill cup.

pairs are drawn depending on who you are and the t.v. schedules. big names are always paired together and they are drawn in numerous slots.lesser known players always tee off early and late.they are supposed to be drawn out of a hat, could you see tiger teeing off first in the open at 06:30 i think not.

talking of tiger, i think it's about time he was handicapped, maybe 1-2 shots a round, just imagine how many tournaments he would win if he could drive the ball straight.and it's a good job he only plays about 15 tournaments a year and not like vijay who plays about 30!!!