ack in March, your tee shot drifted right and landed in the rough at Harding Park. The grass stood only 2 inches high, so you grabbed an iron, peered toward the green and let it fly. Maybe the ball settled comfortably onto the putting surface.

When Tiger Woods wades into that same rough at the upcoming American Express Championship, the grass will stand more than twice as tall. The fairways will not stretch nearly as wide as they once did. The greens will be firmer, faster and more treacherous.

That's because he's Tiger Woods and you're not.