So, the Mercedes Leaderboard...

It looks a lot like a Fall Series leaderboard. Nick Watney (winner in New Orleans) leads on -5. Daniel Chopra (winner in the Ginn event) is one back at -4. Jonathan Byrd (winner at the Deere) is tied with US Open winner El Pato and Badds at -3. Still, you have to be concerned if you're hyper critical of the Tour that a bunch of no names are leading the first event of the season.

You have to be even more concerned when not a single PGA Tour senior level official is on the first tee for Stephen Ames' opening tee shot to kick off the 2008 season. Tim Finchem isn't even in Hawaii right now. The players sure were ticked off.

``It's the opening of the year, this is important,'' Stephen Ames said after completing the first round of the year at 1-under 72. ``I think he should be here. He's here at the end. Is this any different? It should be the same.''

``I'm pretty disappointed there's no senior staff from the PGA Tour here on opening day,'' Ogilvie said before adding a heavy dose of sarcasm. ``Of course, when you shut down your offices from the 21st of December to the second of January ... I don't know of a $1 billion company that does that. It's puzzling.''

How in the world could anyone expect the top players to come to the event if the Commissioner doesn't even deem it important enough to block time out of his busy schedule of courting sponsors and corporate doublespeak to appear at the first tournament?

Is this a chicken and egg situation? Does Finchem not show because Woods, Phil, Padraig, and Adam Scott didn't? Or does everyone in the Tour think this event is to be glossed over?