First and foremost is the state of Tiger Woods.

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"The tiger is under a state of siege, " laments Ranjit Singh, head of the Tiger Conservation Program.

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Early starters prospered in good scoring conditions on the 7, 468-yard course in New York State, including world No. 3 Tiger Woods and top-ranked new PGA champion Rory McIlroy, who were paired together with former Masters champion Zach Johnson.

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Tiger has flourished in his birth state as well, winning 14 of 45 starts there as a pro, 31.1%.

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All three still have no state income tax, which may be one reason Tiger Woods and so many other golfers (including many Europeans) also live in Florida.

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The Tiger's rhetoric sounded tired, and the party's seats in state elections - despite continuing to rule the Mumbai municipality - diminished over the years.

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Is it a coincidence that such athletes as Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter and countless others have official residences in places like no-state-income-tax Florida?

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Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods and can live anywhere, it is easy to see why a no tax state like Texas or Florida would beckon.

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Tiger Woods got him out of a sand trap, noting that he too was motivated by high state taxes when he moved in the 1990s.

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