Golf is dead to me. At least for the rest of this year.

That is sentiment the PGA is having to deal with after last week’s startling news that Tiger Woods was done for the remainder of the 2008 season.

Two days after holding off Rocco Mediate in a somewhat fantasy like U.S. Open, Tiger doused the golf world with a cold splash of reality. He let it be known that for the past 10 months he has been playing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He also has been hobbled with a double stress fracture in his tibia below the left knee, which occurred two weeks before the U.S. Open.

The injuries and the resulting surgeries have sidelined him for the rest of the season. Those grimaces Tiger displayed after almost every shot during the Open start to make more sense now.

“I know much was made of my knee throughout last week, and it was important to me that I disclose my condition publicly at an appropriate time,”’ Woods said on his Web site. “I wanted to be very respectful of the USGA and their incredibly hard work, and make sure the focus was on the U.S. Open. Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee.”

As I said before, golf is dead. Not since pre-Tiger days has golf been in this much trouble.

Even though Tiger will not play in another tournament the rest of the season, Woods will still be the odds on favorite to win his 10th Player of the year title in 12 years. In just seven events, he had five wins, including the earning his 14th major championship title with his U.S. open win.

“I was determined though, to do everything and anything in my power to play in the U.S. Open at Torry Pines, which is a course that is close to where I grew up and holds many special memories for me,” Woods said. “Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I’m thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament.”

Wood’s also has earned more than $5.7 million in winnings, which also is almost $2 million more than a second place Phil Mickelson.

Wood’s injury may be a blessing and a curse for Mickelson, the acknowledged second best player on the PGA. With Woods out, Mickelson is the favorite to win the final two majors of the year when the British Open and PGA Championship roll around. He can add to his total without the pressure of Tiger being in the field.

However, with Tiger gone, Mickelson will see a different type of pressure he has not faced since at least 1997. Mickelson will be the face of the sport. The one expected to carry the Tour while Tiger is gone. Every tournament Mickelson will be expected to not only win, but also do something great and highlight worthy that will get his sport a prime spot on every nightly newscast. Those were all guaranteed when Tiger was in the field. Mickelson has yet to show fans and critics he can do it.

If Mickelson is unable to wear the crown, the likes of Sergio Garcia, Stewart Cink, VJ Singh, newly anointed fan favorite Rocco Mediate and a cast of others will get the chance to try out for the position.

But in the end, no matter how well they play, or what they accomplish, for all intensive purposes the PGA, at best, will only be on life support as it awaits Tiger’s return. It’s a tough fact of life, but for once we may have found an athlete that is truly bigger than the sport itself.