Tiger Woods' dramatic victory Sunday - his first since returning from knee surgery - appears to be bringing a surge to Augusta's Masters Tournament economy.
More calls have been coming in from fans seeking housing, an enthusiastic Mayor Deke Copenhaver said Tuesday.
He said the timing of Mr. Woods' win on the final hole in the Arnold Palmer Invitational creates a perfect storm that will benefit the local economy.
"Tiger Woods has this much influence on the golfing world and golfing fans," the mayor said.
Jane Fuhrmann , the president of Tournament Housing & Events, said Mr. Woods' comeback has kept things busy and might be the deciding factor for some fans who were on the fence.
"We're working as fast as we can answering the phones," she said.
Other Masters-related businesses say they haven't seen an increase yet, but they are hoping to see one soon.
Mr. Woods "drives golf, and people love to see him and love to see him do well," said Georgia Sports & Event Marketing President Jim Robustelli , pointing to high TV ratings from last weekend's tournament.
Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.
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Tiger is the man, if you want to enjoy watching golf.
great golfer but not a great role model with his foul mouth
Tiger Woods is no longer a golf phenom. He has proven himself over and over. He is no longer the poor little interracial kid of the golf world. I commend and greatly respect his abilities and talents. It's all about the money now. His name and image have become a commodity. My former employer now has a whole line of products with his name and image on them. Tiger no longer has anything to prove to the golfing world or any other profession for that matter.Because of his youth, he will become legendary in the sport. He will be around a long long time.