THE GAME CAN THANK ITS LUCKY STARS FOR POPULARITY.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

Star power.

The Haig and Hogan had it and so also, obviously, does Tiger.

It's the indefinable but unmistakable ingredient that can turn professional golf tournaments into compelling theater. In the process, it has steadily raised the wage scale for all pro players since Horace Rawlins defeated nine other pros and one amateur at the first U.S. Open in 1885.

Phil Mickelson acknowledged the impact of star power, even as he ended Tiger Woods' streak of consecutive victories at six Sunday in the Buick Invitational:

``The way Tiger has played the last six events and prior to that has generated a lot of interest for the game of golf,'' Mickelson said. ``There are galleries that were so large this week (165,000), they didn't expect it - they couldn't accommodate it parking-wise. And I'm a beneficiary of that.

``The purses increase, I'm making more money because Tiger is helping increase those purses. He is creating more excitement in the game of golf. All the players are beneficiaries.''

Woods is perhaps the brightest but also only the latest in a long and illustrious line of tour players with the power to pack in the crowds - as he most certainly will do again for this week's Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club.

From the dapper Walter Hagen and his four consecutive PGA championships in the Roaring '20s through Gene Sarazen and his miracle double-eagle at the 1935 Masters to `Slammin' Sammy Snead to Byron Nelson's 11 consecutive wins in 1945 to Ben Hogan's three major championships in 1953, the American pro game did not lack for megastar power in its pre-television era.

Arnold Palmer raised the ante when his patented charges and his Arnie's Army of faithful followers sparked increased national interest with the emergence of televised golf in the mid-1950s.

And about the time folks were thinking there had never been a star quite like Arnie, along came Jack Nicklaus, who would duel Palmer throughout the '60s, then wage epic showdowns with Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson en route to a career total of 18 major professional titles.

Now there is Woods, young (24), charismatic and with a game for the ages, attracting fans wherever and whenever he plays. He drew a crowd of nearly 200 for a 6:15 a.m. practice round at last week's Buick Invitational - ``I definitely wouldn't get out that early to watch me play,'' he joked - and helped pack in 45,000 on Sunday.

Woods packs the press rooms as well, swelling the Buick Invitational m media ranks from 100 to 300 in a one-day surge last week, after he made up seven strokes in his final seven holes at Pebble Beach to win a sixth straight title - the most since Hogan won six in 1948.

``I've never felt an onslaught like I did after he made that (winning) putt,'' said Rick Schloss, who handles media requests for the Buick Invitational and includes a Super Bowl in his 25 years of sports projects.

``Pro golf has always been star-driven,'' Schloss said. ``But Tiger is in another world with this stuff. He just transcends so many things. He's articulate, people can relate to him - if they can't relate to the game he plays. He's the ambassador of golf.''

His streak is over, but Woods' drawing power is as strong as ever going into this week's play at Riviera, where PGA Tour Director of Information Dave Lancer expects another huge Woods gallery.

``We (PGA Tour) don't keep attendance figures. We never have. But it's obvious to anyone following golf that crowds are bigger with Tiger,'' Lancer said. ``And the people coming out to tournaments are far more mainstream than they once were.

``Clearly, he has had an impact on the tour. We've always had the core fans, but Tiger draws fans who weren't traditional fans. People are coming out to the game to see the phenomenon.''