However much Tiger Woods' anterior cruciate ligament and double stress fracture of the tibia hurt, it is nothing compared to the pain that commissioner Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour are bound to be feeling right now.

The greatest meal ticket the sport has ever known is hobbling to the sideline for what some are saying could be nine months to a year. The face of golf in this century is leaving the course for an extended period.

That is bad enough, of course. But coming immediately as it does after one of the most gripping golf showdowns in history, the 91-hole U.S. Open, his already gaping absence will be magnified.

The magnitude of what Woods accomplished at Torrey Pines grows by the day with each revelation of the condition in which he performed. His already considerable profile burnished by the episode. His drawing power tremendously enhanced.

Now, the sport won't have him around to sell tickets and attract TV viewers. Ouch, indeed.

And, that's the problem. I mean, who takes his place? Phil Mickelson? Adam Scott? Geoff Ogilvy?

Please.

Ideally, some of the rising young players will emerge and at least mitigate Woods' absence as football season dominates the sporting stage. But, really, what are the chances any of them nudge golf back into the national consciousness?

You can almost hear Finchem, as Maui-based NBC analyst Mark Rolfing suggests, imploring the tour players to step forward and try to shore up the sport. Play more tournaments. Be more exciting, pretty please.

Finchem said the right, supportive, hopeful things in a public statement that followed Woods' announcement yesterday. Behind closed doors, however, you know he's got to be feeling like a guy who ate a ton of tainted tomatoes. Same for the FedEx Cup folks who now have a junior varsity title to peddle.

And that's just for the short term, though the months will undoubtedly seem like years. But what happens if, when Woods does come back next February, or thereafter, he can't eventually return to the dominating player he has been?

If anybody can come back from this and hop back atop the marquee, you have to think Woods would be the one. At least the Tiger we have known to this point. But age is creeping up and some things he was capable of up to now might no longer be possible down the road.

There's your real nightmare scenario for the PGA, a too-early glimpse of its future: a suddenly-mortal Tiger and nobody around to replace him.

From the joy of a sudden-death playoff to the slow, painful existence of life without Woods. Be assured golf feels Tiger's pain — and then some.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.