No Tiger Woods in the Masters.

Whether you are a fan of the man or you dislike him, Tiger’s absence at Augusta National this month is not good news for golf.

Because in pro golf, he’s still the man. He’s still the standard. His is still the first score everyone checks on when getting updated on a particular tournament.

True, Tiger hasn’t been the same player since his infidelity issues became public.

True, he hasn’t won a major since 2008, when he claimed the U.S. Open while playing on virtually one leg.

And, true, perhaps injuries are catching up to him. Four knee surgeries, surgery on that leg two days after that Open win, now the recent back surgery.

But prestigious golf tournaments are always better when they have a target player on the course, a player who the rest of the field knows one must outplay in order to win that day.

Woods owns four Masters titles. No other golfer on the tour right now can match the polarizing figure that Woods gives to any major tournament he plays.

Local golfers who have played in the recent Butler Eagle County Amateurs know about that. They’ve had to contend with Sean Knapp, a St. Jude Golf Club member and one of the top amateur golfers in the country, for the past six years.

Knapp has won five of the past six Eagle Amateurs. His lone loss was by a stroke to Bennett Smith in 2011 at Hiland. He avenged that defeat by edging Smith by a stroke in the 2012 event at Oakview.

Knapp has played the Eagle Amateur with remarkable consistency — carding scores of 68 and 65 at Oakview, 67 at Lake Arthur and 65 in winning at Cranberry Highlands last year.

But different golfers have stepped up to challenge him in those events. Ryan Fichter lost an Eagle Amateur to Knapp by two strokes, as has Cameron Peterson.

Rob Voltz lost to him by three strokes.

And that’s with Knapp playing well.

While Knapp has won the county amateur tournament on a regular basis, he hasn’t been blowing the field away.

The tease of somebody beating him is still there. He is a target someone is capable of reaching on a given day.

If Knapp is not among the Eagle Amateur field this year, the tournament will probably be much more wide open.

The event would still be good locally — like the Masters will still be good nationally — but something would be missing.

That Tiger Woods-like target.

That’s what will be missing from the Masters.

Tiger remains four major titles shy of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18. He is still three wins shy of Sam Snead’s mark of 82 PGA victories.

At age 37, it’s doubtful he’s done. That’s a good thing.

Golfers need greatness like Tiger Woods and Sean Knapp on the course with them.

If for no other reason than to chase it.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle