DESPITE the hyperbole surrounding the upcoming Grand Slam, it isn't quite as grand as we'd all hoped.

No disrespect to Angel Cabrera, Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink and Y.E.Yang, they might be well known among their fellow players and among those who follow the PGA Tour, but they're hardly household names.

Nobody could dispute the enormity of their achievements in this year's four majors, winning any one of which is considered the pinnacle of any golf pro's career. And no-one will argue that they didn't deserve to win.

But when all's said and done, that's no consolation to Bermuda.

When Premier Ewart Brown pulled off what might be considered as one the major achievements during his term in office, stealing the end-of-season exhibition tournament from Hawaii and bringing it to these shores, it was seen as a major coup.

From a tourism perspective it represented the kind of publicity no amount of money could buy.

Watched by millions on TV across the US on the same day it was played and tape-delayed for other other countries, it was quite rightly described as the most prestigious sporting event this Island has ever hosted.

But there can be little doubt that, all along, Dr. Brown and every other golf fan believed that with the Grand Slam would also come Tiger Woods, the richest man in sport, by far the most talented golfer in the modern era, and the player who can make or break TV ratings. Three years' later, there's still no sign of him.

Tiger's presence at Port Royal later this month would have practically shut down the Island. Tickets would have sold out on the day they became available and executives at the TNT network would have been rubbing their hands with glee.

They'll still be insisting to their viewers it's a must-see event. But without Tiger, they'll realise it's lost much of its glamour.

For Bermuda, it's a golden opportunity lost in the bid to help kickstart a tourism revival.

As far as we can gather, tickets for the two-day, 36-hole tournament are still available, and plenty of them. There have been rumours that rounding up volunteers for the event has been difficult.

Some, of course, have been doing their darndest to put a positive spin on this year's Slam, no more than respected US golf commentator Bob Bubka who was interviewed by The Royal Gazette earlier this week.

Considered the 'voice of the PGA', Bubka reasoned that Woods' absence at Port Royal could even prove to be a blessing – the players who have qualified having given the event an unusual quality.

I'm not quite sure he's kidding.

The problem is that it lacks the kind of quality Tiger would bring.

Quite rightly, he pointed out that this year's majors may go down in the history books as the most unusual of all time. On every occasion, the player who looked most likely to win or the general public wanted to win heading down the stretch in the final round, somehow contrived to lose.

At the Masters, when 49-year-old Kenny Perry looked to become the oldest man ever to earn a Green Jacket, he buckled and left the door open for Cabrera; at the US Open, Phil Mickelson was the bookies' favourite heading into the last 18 holes but instead the title went to 250-1 outsider Lucas Glover; at the British Open just about everyone at Turnberry was rooting for the 59-year-old Tom Watson as he seemed certain to become the oldest player ever to win any major with just one hole remaining but it was Cink who eventually prevailed in a play-off; and at the PGA Championship nobody would have bet against Woods losing to an unknown from South Korea as he entered the last round in a position in which he'd never previously relinquished in a major.

A confused and frustrated Woods collapsed as Yang hit shot after memorable shot to defy the odds.

Nobody will begrudge Cabrera, Glover, Cink and Yang their moments of triumph.

But for a few missed putts over the last few holes, this year's Grand Slam line-up would have looked liked this - Perry, Mickelson, Watson and Woods.

What a spectacular show that would have been.

Bubka argues that it's good for the game to see some new faces steal the glory.

It is, but it's certainly not good for the Grand Slam, nor for that matter Bermuda.

Bubka's enthusiasm will no doubt please the PGA and TNT.

But here in Bermuda, many golfers and golf fans have already made up their mind about this year's event. Some will watch the Pro-Am as well as both tournament rounds, others just the final round and some will be content to stay at home and watch on TV in the evening.

For the third successive year, Tiger, one way or another, has avoided a trip to Bermuda.

Even had he won the PGA Championships there was no guarantee he'd take up his Grand Slam invitation.

There's a certain irony in the fact that the player who almost everyone on the Island had in mind when the Slam contract was sealed has now, through his absence, done more to dilute the tournament's prestige rather than enhance it.

– ADRIAN ROBSON