Even Adam Scott stopped to watch as Tiger Woods hit balls on the driving range at Firestone Country Club for the first time in four years.
"It never gets old," Scott told AAP.
"Tiger was golf for 20 years, still is, so you have to know what's going on with him."
Scott won the 2011 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, but he's as excited as anyone for Woods' return to one of his happiest hunting grounds.
With eight victories between 1999 and 2013, Woods is the undisputed king of Ohio's famed Firestone course.
But plagued by injuries and off-course troubles, the 42-year-old has not played the tournament since 2014, when he withdrew hurt during the final round.
With top 10 finishes in his previous two US Tour starts - including a tie for sixth in the British Open at Carnoustie to his name - Woods is desperate to earn a first worldwide win since his 2013 triumph at this event.
Jason Day, a close friend of Woods, says the 14-time major winner has reverted to his infamous ploy of going quiet on peers during tournament weeks.
"He has definitely become quiet when it comes time to play against us," Day said.
"We usually text each other on good performances, but I want to try beat him at his best and to do that we can't be helping each other out."
Former world No.1s Day and Scott are among five Australians trying to ignore Tigermania, with the plenty at stake for all them.
Having slipped to No.77 in the world rankings and sitting just nine places inside the top 125 on the FedEx Cup points race who qualify for the US PGA Tour's upcoming play-offs, Scott knows it's crunch time.
It's why he has been trialling caddies as he looks for a spark to ignite his season.
This week, Scott will have Kiwi Mike 'Sponge' Waite on the bag.
Waite caddied for countryman Michael Campbell during his iconic 2005 US Open win, when he famously held off a fast-finishing Woods.
"I don't know (how long term the partnership is) at this point, it's just nice Sponge is able to caddie for me," Scott said.
"He is a very experienced caddie and a good bloke, so having that calmness next to me is going to helpful."
Scott played a Wednesday practice round with good mate Wade Ormsby, the South Australian who booked his spot in the elite 73-man field by winning the European Tour's Hong Kong Open.
"I played 12 holes with Scotty and tried to pick his brains with questions about the course, because he has won and been around here plenty," Ormsby said.
Rounding out the Australian contingent is world No.19 Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.
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