'Tiger Factor' in full effect in Greensboro

— -- GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Regardless of time, tournament, state or continent, the gallery that follows Tiger Woods is immense, sometimes dwarfing the number of spectators on the rest of the course.

Whether it be in the last group of a major championship or the first group off -- as was the case back in June on the final day of the Memorial, where he played solo -- Woods always draws a crowd.

But the vibe at the Wyndham Championship has been different, and it's difficult to pinpoint exactly why that is the case. Surely Woods' 64 at Sedgefield Country Club on Thursday played a role in the exuberance.

And yet, fans also flocked to the course Wednesday morning for the pro-am, when there was no hint of the good golf to come. Several dozen were here Tuesday evening to watch him play an unannounced nine-hole practice round with Davis Love III. Woods finished in near darkness, then signed autographs and posed for photos until everyone had left.

Maybe it is simply the fact that fans in Greensboro have never seen Woods at their tournament -- although Woods has been a frequent participant at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, just 100 miles away.

Or could it be that, as Woods has struggled, the masses have started to realize how much his greatness was taken for granted over the years? He racked up those 79 PGA Tour victories and 14 major championships with such swiftness; perhaps his current two-year tailspin has offered some perspective.

Woods clearly notices. The laser focus he employed throughout much of his career to the point of being blind to all the commotion has often been replaced by eye contact, a smile, a tossed ball into the crowd, a high-five for a kid.

Coming to a small-town tournament that appreciates his presence and offers an old-style course not necessarily conducive to the demands of today's big-time tournament golf scene is something Woods welcomes.

In a brief chat before he left the course for the day, Woods said the tournament reminded him of the old Buick Open held in Flint, Michigan, an event he won three times. The town embraced the event, although sponsorship woes caused it to cease after Woods' 2009 victory there.

"It's electric out there from the very first hole," Woods said of Sedgefield Country Club. "It's a small-town atmosphere, really cool."

Those who have been coming to the tournament for years noted that Thursday morning looked like a typical Sunday afternoon. Tournament director Mark Brazil said ticket sales increased considerably, with some 10,000 more for Friday at a place that typically hopes to have 20,000 on the weekend days.

A 50 percent increase because of one man? That's pretty much standard fare when Woods is involved. "The Tiger factor is still very real," Brazil said. "I've never seen it like this, lined up on both sides, several deep. Not even on a Sunday. There was a huge following at 7:50 in the morning, and it's usually like a ghost town at that time."

Brazil said he's seen a difference in other ways: concession sales up by 50 percent so far, merchandise sales up by 40 percent. And it's only Thursday.

"There's no doubt about things created by Tiger,"  Adam Scott said. "It happens everywhere he goes. You can tell how passionate the local people and everyone involved in the tournament here are about this tournament and it means such a great deal to them to have Tiger Woods in the field. I think it's fantastic."

There was a time when Woods' fellow competitors might not have said as much. Playing with Tiger can be a hassle, given the extra security and media inside the ropes, as well as the chatter outside. Undoubtedly there are those who feel the same way today, but there is also the sense that Woods' peers are not enjoying his difficulties as much as you would think.

Maybe they, too, are realizing what he has meant, that his struggles shine a light on all that he accomplished.

And then there are those who play with him who are among an ever-growing group of golfers who were inspired by him and are now competing against him. Brooks Koepka is just 25, with his first PGA Tour win coming earlier this year in Phoenix. He's mostly seen the bad Woods in his time on tour but was nonetheless stoked at the opportunity to play with him for two rounds

"He's the greatest player ever; if you can't get into it, there's something wrong with you," said Koepka, who shot 67. "I wouldn't say nervous, but you're excited. It gets the blood flowing. You have no problem waking up this morning, I promise you that."

Erik Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, has known Woods for years, although they don't come across each other that often. Compton shot 62 in the opening round and told the story of speaking with Woods a few weeks ago at the Quicken Loans National. He asked Woods why he didn't play a few events outside of his normal schedule.

"I joked, "Hey, look, if you play Wyndham, I'll play Wyndham," Compton said. "I signed up only because I was concerned about the top 125 [in FedEx points]. I was sitting on the couch and then I saw that Tiger had committed. I was laughing at the chances that he was going to play and that I would play at the same time. I'm a nobody.

"But to see him play well ... everybody would love to see him playing in the playoffs."

That remains the ultimate long shot. Woods can finish no worse than second here to even have a chance to qualify for the four-tournament playoff series. Only a win would assure him a spot in the Barclays next week, and his opening 64 was still just good enough for a tie for fifth on a course that is going to demand an abundance of birdies.

For a player who hasn't had a top-15 finish all year, who hasn't been in the top 10 in nearly two years and who has struggled to put tournament rounds together -- let alone 72 holes -- a finish of second or better amid a bevy of birdies is a big ask this week.

Then again, Woods should not be judged by that here. His fate for the FedEx Cup was determined well before now, the ups and downs of a new golf swing and chipping woes robbing him of any ability to compete in what likely will go down as another lost season.

So maybe Greensboro becomes known for something else: for being the place where he relaunched his career, where he found his way again. Those in attendance this week might later recall seeing such a renewal -- or maybe just seeing him at all.