Should Tiger Woods Retire?

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As the number of women who claim they have had some kind of relationship with golfer Tiger Woods increases (double digits is what we're hearing), as well as the number of sponsors that are dropping him (two so far), the previously untouchable golfing icon announced on his website that he's putting away his clubs for awhile to work on his marriage.

Some have speculated that Woods' self-imposed break will last until March or April, because that's when he usually prepares himself for the Masters, which is the first of golf's majors.  It's possible that the break could be longer than anyone thought, to the point where he might retire from competition.

In his mid-30s, Woods has won everything there is to win in golf, and then some.  He's worth a billion dollars , which comes from his tournament victories and endorsement deals.  He doesn't need golf so much as golf needs him.

If the past few weeks have proven anything, it's that Tiger Woods is getting a reality check:  There are more important things in life than birdies and bogeys.  He has a wife and two young children, an estate in Florida, and a yacht named "Privacy", among other things.  He realizes now that his alleged dalliances with other women are bringing him to the brink of being just another divorced dad, forced to earn his paychecks so he could pay court-ordered alimony and child support.  (Of course, the average divorced dad doesn't have Tiger's earning power.)

The game of golf has been around for centuries, and will almost certainly survive without Woods.  There will be a lot less prize money put up by corporations willing to put their names on tournaments.  There are plenty of talented golfers currently on the PGA Tour, though collectively their star power couldn't match Tiger's.  TV networks will cede weekend coverage of most tournaments to the Golf Channel as viewers find something else to do.

Seeing a once-in-a-lifetime athlete retire in the prime of his career would be disappointing, of course.  We're not psychologists, but it sounds like he needs to get his life in order.  If he can pull that off, it would be a bigger victory for him than any tournament.