Hengqin an ideal haven for Woods
The likelihood of a Tiger Woods-designed golf course on Hengqin Island has either dramatically improved or been totally killed by the firestorm surrounding the world's top-ranked golfer.
Two years ago, the Woods name was linked to a design on the 96 sq-km island, which lies just a sand wedge away from the gaming mecca of Macau, and connected to the Cotai Strip via the Lotus Bridge.
The rumours emerged in connection with an initial master plan drawn up by Las Vegas Sands Corporation to build a 'complementary trade-fair, convention and leisure destination' on Hengqin, which included plans for up to five golf courses.
An industry source claimed two years ago that a deal had been agreed and only contracts needed to be signed, but Woods' management company vociferously denied an agreement had been reached, although it did confirm it had received interest from a number of developers around the world.
In August, the State Council unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Hengqin into an international tourist destination - with high-class resorts and luxury villas, golf courses and software centres. Hengqin, which has three times the land area of Macau but just 4,000 residents, would boast a population of 200,000 by 2020.
When Woods emerges from his exile, his golf course design business may prove a refuge away from the media frenzy and likely heckling from fans during tournaments.
With blue-chip sponsors now cancelling - and reassessing - contracts with the superstar, the possibility exists that Tiger Inc may have to lower the price for putting his name to a course.
Dollar values are never confirmed or denied when it comes to the endorsement deals carried out on behalf of the world's top golfer, but current estimates put the value of his total annual remuneration at US$110 million and his overall career earnings to date at US$1 billion.
This would seem to make the US$10.5 million Woods earned in topping this year's US PGA Tour money list seem like pocket money.
Woods' first golf course design - 'The Tiger Woods Dubai' - has already been affected by the economic crisis, something that seemed surreal at the time because the course is being built in wealthy Dubai. Further Woods-designed courses are under construction in the US and Mexico.
Work slowed down on the high-profile Dubai project when the global recession began to be felt hard late last year, and there is still no fixed opening date, even though the course has been under construction for two years.
The company building the housing development and golf course said this week 'progress continues' on the project but gave no specifics.
Woods said in June that the long-delayed project was 'out of my hands'.
One source with close links to Woods' management company said press speculation about the fee being paid by the Dubai developer was hopelessly out of touch.
'The media somehow dreamed up a figure of US$20 million, and as designers such as Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones Jnr were demanding US$2 or US$3 million per design, this figure was indeed astounding,' said the source.
'In fact, they were way out with their numbers because Tiger's managers said there would only ever be one 'first' Tiger design, and whoever wanted to buy it would have to pay US$100 million to get it. And the Arabs bought it.
'Although this is a crazy sum of money, the development will include 22 multimillion-dollar palaces, 75 mansions and 100 signature villas, so all they really gave Tiger was the price of a house on the lot, although a very big house.'
The price of a Woods design is expected to come down to an affordable level, although what that rate will be can only be guesswork.
Whether a mainland developer will try to secure a bargain for a design on Hengqin is also open to speculation, but as another industry insider said, Tiger's new naughty-boy image might well make him more appealing to Chinese entrepreneurs interested in building a golf and casino development on the island.
US property and casino magnet Donald Trump this week told talk-show host Larry King that Woods was a 'good guy' and when he did decide to return to tournament play there would be 'Superbowl ratings'.
'Tiger was known always known as a good boy,' said Trump, who owns several courses around the world.
'Maybe he should be known as a bad boy.
'Maybe the marriage doesn't work out and he'll go with 5,000 women. Instead of having Disney World, he'll have casinos or somebody endorse him.'
The thought of a casino on Hengqin endorsing the world's number one golfer might not be so far-fetched after all, given that Macau is now the gambling capital of the world. And with a huge pool of domestic gamblers with pockets lined with cash, the finance for such a deal is more likely to be done in yuan than the usual barrow load of US dollars.
Keeping score
The number of major championships the 33-year-old Woods has won is: 14