Tiger Down Under: The Real Wizard of Oz?

There are two rounds remaining in which Tiger Woods still must prove he's the real wizard of Oz, but so far he's giving a pretty good approximation. Through two rounds of the Australian Masters, Woods leads by three strokes.

A week after a trip to China, Woods headed Down Under for his first tournament in Australia in 11 years. A $3 million appearance fee has a way of bringing one's attention into focus.

That huge appearance fee is proving money well-spent, however, for local authorities who estimate that Woods' presence in Melbourne this week is generating around $20 million in economic impact. Not only are Aussies traveling to Victoria from other states, but fans from other parts of Australasia have arrived, too.

Quite a few Australian golf tournaments have struggled in recent years to attract top sponsorship packages and to garner much attention outside of Oz. No problems at this tournament. Tiger's appearance led to a quick sell-out of tickets and international television coverage.

Two rounds to go, and locals seem to believe a Woods win is a fait accompli. A local bookmaker, according to an AFP report, has offered to go ahead and pay out all bets on Woods to win. That's confidence. That's the Woods effect.

Go to the tournament's official Web site for full scores and more news.

See also:

• Photos: Tiger at the Australian Masters