A Sense of Huber: 10 Years later

How long ago was it?

David Duval had won the Open Championship just eight weeks previous. David Duval.

Tiger Woods had already won five events, including the Masters. Annika Sorenstam had won four. David Toms had just finished off the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

How long ago was it? Long enough for the AAC to return on the PGA's rotation already.

Long enough for Duval to have disappeared into a warm and comfortable life away from the game.

Long enough for Annika to retire and deliver two beautiful children.

Long enough... well, you know the Tiger story.

The golf world was settling in at wonderful old Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis for the American Express World Golf Championship. Tents everywhere, volunteers scrambling to learn their routines.

Tuesday was a practice round, of course. The weather was spectacular and Tiger was among the few already on the immaculate course getting in his very first round of golf in the state of Missouri.

Just before 8 a.m. central time, the world changed.

Word spread throughout the course. Players huddled, fans wandered in bewilderment.

The PGA Tour took nearly five hours before finally making its first decision. Thursday's opening round would be canceled and played as part of a 36-hole Friday. The weekend would return to normal.

Nothing, they soon discovered, would be normal again.

On Wednesday, they canceled not only the WGC but the Tampa Bay Classic, the Senior Vantage Championship and the Buy.com Oregon Classic.

Yes, Buy.com. It's been that long ago.

With all air travel down, players managed to find rental cars and began making their way home. Tiger Woods, the most recognizable athlete on the planet, tugged a golf cap over sunglasses and, wearing a tee shirt and jeans, drove to Orlando. He stopped several times for gas and food. Not a soul recognized him.

How long has it been since 9/11/2001?

The tour -- and our world -- take this coming weekend off to make sure it hasn't been TOO long to forget.

My thanks to old friend Dan Reardon of St. Louis radio giant KMOX for some helpful reminders. It hasn't been that long, it's simply this old memory grows foggy when mixed with tears.

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