Just when you thought that the credit crunch couldn’t get any worse, Tiger Woods, the richest sports star on the planet and the most sought-after marketing asset, is now feeling the pinch like the rest of us!

Tiger’s endorsement deal with Buick has come to an end after nine beautiful years (for Tiger anyway), ending one year short of the 10-year deal.

It’s no secret that Buick’s parent company General Motors has been one of the major losers in the economic meltdown, registering a whopping $73 billion loss in 2008. Although more than many of us will earn in a lifetime, the $7 million loss that Tiger will endure won’t make too much of a dent in his 2008 earnings of $122 million – not bad seeing as he only played golf up to the US Open in June. So OK, if Tiger’s not immune what does it mean for others on tours and for the tours themselves?

Potentially one of the best-kept secrets from club golfers worldwide is the 30-month battle that’s been brewing between the titans of the golf retail industry – Callaway and Titleist.

Unassuming golfers browse pro shops and must wonder in amazement at the truly remarkable steps forward in technology over the past few decades. But I wonder how many know what is currently going on behind the scenes of the two largest companies in the golf business?

Technology has remodelled the game over the past 30 years and, in particular, the last 15-20. The introduction of graphite shafts and titanium-headed drivers was instrumental in improving the distance of golfers’ tee-shots.

In the aftermath of Sergio Garcia’s victory in the Race to Dubai-opening HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan last week, the tour focus quickly switches to the lower end of the fortune spectrum – the final stages of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Only 156 players have made it through to the final stage, 77 holding exempt status (mostly from failing to hold on to their tour cards last season) and 79 who held their nerves to get through the second stage of qualifying last week. The conundrum week as always is held in Spain due to the more or less guaranteed weather and this year’s venue, The PGA De Catalunya in Girona, will pull no punches for the Tour hopefuls.

At only 6,866 yards it’s a course that will reward accuracy over power – rather refreshing for the modern era.

Today, November 6, 2008 will go down in golfing history as the landmark day when Dubai turned the world of professional golf upside down, shook it around and laid out a route map for the other major tours to follow.

Today is perhaps the most significant day in the history of the European Tour, and it is certainly on a par with others such as the decision in 1979 to allow European players to be included in the Ryder Cup for the first time or the decision in 1975 to appoint Ken Scholfield as the Executive Director – great decisions that have shaped the tour into what it is today.

Dubai has been renowned for its creativity and vision when it comes to putting itself in the spotlight. Every football, cricket, rugby, sailing fan, you name it – now knows that Emirates airline is the official airline of Dubai.