She formed good relationships with the players and is well respected. Sorry she isn't here to answer that for you. She is a very hard worker with a bulldog mentality. Yes, that is why she is out on the range now. At this point it doesn't much matter.
Tiger is the favorite every week regardless of the difficulty factor.
Most think it is his tournament to lose and I agree. He was able to spend time with his mother on Monday, and she has been battling a serious illness for two years. I am sure it was devastating to him, but he told an official that one of her greatest fears was that she would die during an event like this, and that when he saw her on Monday, she was at peace with her situation. I think he is playing because he feels strongly that she would want him to play, and also, he is being honored tonight. This is the final major of his career, most likely.