We all learned today that Tiger Woods is officially done for the year. After his incredibly entertaining, next-day sudden-death win at the U.S. Open over Rocco “High Pockets” Mediate, Dude is going back under the knife for extensive, reconstructive work on his knee and will not play again in 2008.

This can be construed as good news for Tiger’s wife Elin and his young daughter Sam. The next several months may be the longest stretch that Tiger hangs around the house for the rest of his career. And it’s an early Christmas gift for the rest of the players on the PGA Tour and their European counterparts, who now have some semblance of a chance in the year’s final two majors, the British Open at Royal Birkdale and the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

For everyone else, however, it stinks. Imagine the expletives being spouted by the network television executives who dropped some serious coinage on broadcast rights for the majors, let alone the regular Tour events. They lost audience share and ratings points faster than it takes Johnny Miller to come up with stupefying analogies. And how many phone calls and e-mails of condolence has poor Paul Azinger fielded today? The American Ryder Cup captain, desperately needing a win this fall when the matches take place on American soil at Valhalla Golf Club, will now be without his ace. Granted, Tiger hasn’t had much of a record in the Ryder Cup (3-6-1), but his absence will loom large. Talk about Kentucky rain…

It’s sad, I suppose, when one player has such an impact on the game. But I, for one, just can’t get motivated to spend a weekend afternoon watching Phil Mickelson underperform or Rocco work the crowd. And I don’t think I’m alone.

Dammit, Eldrick. I miss you already.