They stood patiently, three-deep round the first tee, waiting for the star attraction to drive off in the pro-am here at St Leon Rot yesterday, as a prelude to the £1.68 million Deutsche Bank SAP Open. Yet no more than 100 yards away, there were unimpeded views of Tiger Woods practising on the putting green.
In their quest of the dramatic, the Germans had no difficulty in choosing between the driver and putter, in the hands of the world number one. And in one of those fortuitous draws which tend to happen when a player is receiving serious appearance money, heightened drama is virtually guaranteed today in a three-ball comprising Woods, Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.
Seven Irishmen are in action - Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Ronan Rafferty, Des Smyth, David Higgins and Eamonn Darcy. Interestingly, McGinley and Harrington are paired together for the first time in the opening rounds of a professional tournament. Woods was joined in the pro-am by legendary German sportsmen Franz Beckenbauer and Boris Becker. And as it happens, this has been a highly significant venue in the development of him as a player of unprecedented achievement. For it was here two years ago that he and his New Zealand caddie, Steve Williams, first got together in the wake of the sacking of Fluff Cowan.
Since then, Woods and Williams have won five major championships along with 19 tournaments together - an achievement which the organisers here felt was worth acknowledging. So, when they flew into Baden-Baden Airport on Tuesday, a pair of Maserati sports cars were waiting, a silver one for Woods and a dark blue model for his caddie.
Two years ago, his German hosts settled for home produce in giving their esteemed guest the use of a Porsche 911 during the tournament. Now the choice is an exclusive, Italian marque with a similarly distinguished pedigree.
Clarke clearly relished a draw which views him as a greater attraction than Lee Westwood, who captured this title in Hamburg last year when he overhauled Woods with a sparkling, final-round 64. "You know me: I never know how I'm going to play from one tournament to the next," he said self-depracatingly. "But my win in Japan was definitely a step in the right direction."
The Tyroneman bristled at the need to suggest that there will be no fear factor for him in the presence of the young master. Indeed, one has only to reflect on a wonderful triumph in the Accenture World Matchplay Championship in La Costa 15 months ago. But Montgomerie will have rather different feelings.
One recalls the third round of the 1997 US Masters, when Montgomerie experienced yet another false dawn in his quest of a major title. In second place at the halfway stage, the Scot was paired with Woods in the third round in which he clearly felt the heat, carding a dispiriting 74 while his partner swept to a stunning 65. "I enjoy playing in the US but I also enjoy playing all over the world and seeing new places," Woods said, having given the point further emphasis by agreeing to play in New Zealand next January.
Having secured a personal grand slam through a fourth successive "major" triumph in last month's Masters, what are his targets for the remainder of the year? "My goal is the same as it has been at the beginning of every year - to be able to say on December 31st that I have played better than I did on January 1st," he replied with admirable pragmatism. "If you can keep doing that year after year, you're going to have a pretty good career."
On his first visit here two years ago, Woods admitted that he hadn't had the opportunity of seeing much of the countryside. This time, proud locals wondered if he had learned any new German words. "No," came the typically honest reply. "But I have learned a couple of new beers. That's about it."
Clarke, meanwhile, is trying out a new, Ping Zing 2 putter this week, because he feels it will be better suited to the medium-paced greens than his regular Scottie Cameron. And surprisingly, he has decided against the sensationally hot Titleist Pro V1 golf ball in favour of the same company's wound, Prestige model.
"Sure, it would help me close the gap on Tiger, but that's not what I'm looking for," he said. "I would prefer to have greater feel for the important shots around the greens." Small matter that the Germans will be more interested in his performance off the tee.
