CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hecklers were nowhere to be found on Thursday when Tiger Woods, with police escort, played in the first round of the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, N.C. But the news media crowd of perhaps two dozen that followed Woods heard it from one angry fan who thought we were spending too much time on one golfer.

“What about the other golfers out here,’’ a man shouted at the media pack after Woods hit his tee shot at No. 8. “Come on. There’s 100 other golfers.’’

And when those 100 become as notorious as Woods, they will be covered from hole to hole, too. After all, it’s the fans who drive the coverage, whether they realize it or not.

Asked about Woods’s private life, a fan, Sally Branson of Raleigh, N.C., said: “I think it’s his business. I don’t want to judge him.’’

But asked if she spent time following coverage of his off-the-course activities, private or not, Branson said: “I was interested, probably. Probably too much. It was just interesting.’’

As long as fans remain interested, as evidenced by ratings and mouse clicks, reporters will likely continue to follow Woods to the exclusion of others.

Round and round it goes.