Tiger Clippings, AT&T Pebble Beach Week Edition
Ah yes, it seemed so long ago we were planning on watching Tiger Woods go in full actor mode to act as though he was enjoying the circus that has become the Pebble Beach pro-am, all so he could make some notes on this year's U.S. Open host site.
But there is some Tiger news and commentary...
Sandra Dibble of the San Diego Union Tribune reports that Tiger's Punta Brava project is not looking at a 2012 opening and that permitting issues along with the tough economy are to blame.
Developers say they have maintained their close working relationship with Woods, who has not said when he will resume golfing professionally.
“No matter what, Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, and there is nobody else that we would rather have design our golf course than the best golfer in the world,” said Brian Tucker, founder and principal of Punta Brava and a vice president of The Flagship Group, the project’s development company.
When Punta Brava was announced Oct. 7, 2008, “the world was a different place,” Tucker said. While the economic downturn has brought coastal real estate development in Baja California to a virtual standstill, Tucker said Punta Brava is moving forward. Since the launching, 167 prospective buyers have been flown down to tour the site, he said, and have shown enthusiasm for the project.
Sales won’t begin until next February, said Susan Wise, spokeswoman for The Flagship Group.
“We’re not selling 600 units of condos,” Tucker said. “This is to be one of the singular golf clubs in the world.”
John Feinstein files a Guardian Observer piece on the evolution of Tiger's personality and I found this to be the most telling anecdote:
When an American TV network made a very bad movie based on his early life 11 years ago, Tiger was asked at a Masters press conference how it felt to have someone make an entire movie based on his life at the tender age of 22. In a rare moment, Tiger let his guard down and allowed his true feelings to show.
"To be honest, it pisses me off," he said. "It pisses me off that people I don't even know are making money off my life. I wish there was some way to stop them."
Nick Owens in the Mirror claims to have a source close to Elin suggesting that the marriage is going to be given one more try now that Tiger's gotten a clean bill of health from his doctors.
She made the decision after meeting doctors at the clinic treating Tiger’s sex addiction. They convinced her that her husband has made “remarkable progress”.
Yesterday a close friend of 30-year-old Elin said: “She has been convinced there is hope for the marriage.
“The doctors told her she shouldn’t underestimate Tiger’s ability to learn new coping skills and grow as a person.
“She has been convinced by the professionals that there is hope – and this isn’t lawyers or businessmen giving her advice, it’s doctors. And they say he has made remarkable progress.”
Monday, February 8, 2010 at 08:15 PM
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Reader Comments (36)
Yeah ... right!
Not been put to the test yet, has he? And, I'm not just talking sex here. There's the not so small issue of pain killers etc. We've seen what an addiction to pain killers did to Michael Jackson and I'd be surprised if Tiger's knee problem has gone away.
Not sure how anyone's in a position to know whether or not she's given him six months to effect 'a cure'. Has she not yet twigged to the fact he'll have to be watched for the rest of his life.
That's how I feel.
When was he seen emerging from the clinic in Mississippi? That first photo? Not him. Next.
Elin without her wedding ring on? Signifies nothing. Half the time the paparazzi are probably looking at the twin sister.
No one knows where Tiger is let alone what he's saying to his doctors, if he even has doctors. Or if he's even unwell or thinks he's unwell.
Kill the messenger ... fine. But I'm telling you ... I deal with them every day, of all age groups, and they are among us. They can hold a job and drive a car and procreate over and over and get through the day and actually feed themselves ... but at the end of the day there are people out there who are stupid. And they make stupid decisions. Worse, they really have no idea what's happening around them and cannot think for themselves.
Chapter two of this fascinating story is about to begin. I have a feeling this is going to be a long book.
No idea how the pga organize their drug testing but the lpga do it randomly. Of course, he may have already been tested. We're only going to hear about it if he fails one. Still, as golf is going to be part of the Olympics, I would imagine the pga tour will have to be transparent in how it conducts these tests at least to the Olympics people if not us.
2 weeks should be all anyone needs to be healed from 30+ years of suppression.
Everyone loves a hero, Tiger included, and we hate to see them fall on hard times. What I think bothers people is the image that was crafted by his handlers, and to dgree, Tiger himself. There have been numerous athletes of his stature (in their prime) who didn't pretended to be something they were not, and thus, never chastised severely for "salty" behavior.
Remember.....if more than one person knows, it's not a secret.
By Rachel Deahl——Publishers Weekly, 2/8/2010 1:16:00 PM
Perseus imprint Da Capo Press has closed a deal for a new biography of controversy-embroiled superstar Tiger Woods. The May 2010 book, by People magazine reporter Steve Helling, was acquired by editor Kevin Hanover and the publisher says the title is on track to be the first about the golfer published after Woods' personal life--namely his rampant infidelities--became tabloid fodder. Maura Teitelbaum at Abrams Artists Agency sold world rights to the book, simply titled Tiger Woods, and Da Capo is promising it will contain exclusive details about Woods and new interviews.
Helling has written about Woods for a number of years at People and, per Da Capo, he will "draw on intimate sources, many speaking out for the first time, to create a never-before-seen portrait of the golfer."
And now, let's await Tiger getting back into the ring and slaying the rest of the Tour.
In 2009 Tiger's PGA Tour record was as follows:
1st--> 6 times
2nd--> 3 times
Top 11--> 15 of 17
Other--> 2 (MC at PGA, 17th at Match Play)
These results do not include the win in Australia, the stellar Prez Cup showing, Tiger was over $4million ahead of next guy on money list while playing 5 less events, etc...
...I'd argue that it's IMPOSSIBLE for an athlete with a substance abuse problem to put up a record like that.
And on the off chance I'm wrong then his competition better watch out when/if he kicks it!!!!!!!!!!
I feel too many people are much too...excited(for lack of a better phrase right now) that a hollow "icon" has fallen. A lot of those people weren't/aren't even golf fans, and haven't seen any play from Woods aside from brief SportsCenter spots.
I want to see Tiger back and playing. I would also like him to rectify whatever issues he may have in his personal life if he feels that is the proper thing to do for him and his family. Anyhow, it's not any of my business(I don't buy products based on athelete endorsements, so I don't feel "slighted" like many others)
it just seems that too many people are willing to kick a fallen man nowadays, especially with the "cyber-foot" made available by the Internet. I'm not saying Tiger should be "forgiven"(whatever that means) - just that people in general(myself included, of course) should be more hesitant to cast the first, second, third, and fourth stones without looking at themselves and their actions.
Cheers all - enjoy your collective Tuesdays.
-LK
He's shagged a dozen other women - how she could bear to touch him again thinking where his knob has been defies belief.
Absolutely no doubting Daly's talent, that's why he was OCCASIONALLY able to pull it together and win some BIG tourneys...but Tiger's year in 2000 alone eclipses Daly's entire career. The other night I ran across a tape of the slugfest between Tiger and Bob May at the PGA in 2000, that was a lot of fun to watch again! Tiger won the Masters by 12 shots and the US Open by 15 shots that year, and the PGA against May, and the Masters the following spring for 4 majors in a row.
And then there's 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009...oh wait, and don't forget 1996, 1997 and 1999 (left '98 out, he only won once that year).
And don't forget that Tiger plays all his practice rounds a dawn...there's just no way this guy has a substance abuse problem.
(I'd venture to say Daly never once played a practice round at dawn...hell, he'd usually go straight from the car to the 1st tee for a pro-am round)
What I don't get is the underlying anger, the visceral need for him to fail. Does it make your lives feel better to watch him suffer? Do you wish that his wife suffered more? What will sate the blood lust?
This Tiger may not change his spots, but if he doesn't and if he remains a perfidious, unfaithful spouse, why should anybody on this site give a care? If we're here talking about golf, eventually he will return to the game and we have the opportunity to cheer for or against him on the basis of his play. If you want to rail against him for being a pig of a husband, enjoy yourselves. I would prefer to enjoy the competitive game of professional golf, which has been great, really great, since he joined its ranks.
I can only hope that he will come back great, even with his public, microphone-in-the=face humility that he will surely show. On the course, this Tiger won't change his stripes either. So, the detractors might have to get used to a lot of irritation.
If Elin can get over this, she is either nuts or just stupid.
Anyhow, in other words, just fess up big time and let's get back to some awesome golf.
Great stuff.
-LK
Your latest contribution is one more testament of why you are my fave poster here. I think you are exactly right. He will do a big mea culpa (and he should) and the personal stuff is personal. The golf is what we want to see. I love Stricker and I'd like to see Dustin Johnson grow up and I'd like to see if Ricky Fowler is not just an empty mullett and I'd like to see Luke Donald not puke in the final round. But I'd really like to see the red shirt on Sunday. Call me a sap or an apoligist, I'd just like to see some sense of normalcy on the tour.
Just reacting to your following...
...I'd argue that it's IMPOSSIBLE for an athlete with a substance abuse problem to put up a record like that.
Daly had a substance problem and was still able to boil up to the surface... at least for a while. Not arguing he had a Tiger record, just that his substance disabilty didn't make it "absolutely impossible". I suspect, as you suggest, that there are few if any winning pro golfers out there with a serious substance abuse problem but we are forever being surprised...
"Does it make your lives feel better to watch him suffer?" Absolutely - it will make many of us "feel" better. It won't make us better, but it will make us feel better. To say that Tiger is "surely guilty of hypocrisy, if nothing else" - and hopefully putting that into the context you wanted - to me disregards the destruction he did to his wife and to his children, and to himself.
Do you wish that his wife suffered more? For god's sake no. For her to go through the humiliation, the destruction of her life, of her self respect, do i want her to suffer more? She is taking back the man who was her hero and turned himself into - put in your own description - lowlife, scum, etc. And she is going to take him back - I have nothing but respect for her.
To me the question is only if Tiger can redeem himself, and the only way that he can is with Elin. Without Elin I will be there - rooting against him, pulling for anyone close. You hope he will come back great; I have not reached that point but I do not think he will. He has destroyed himself. Does he have the ability to bring himself back? I don't think so.
Having said all this I reiterate that I will look forward to reading your comments and will continue looking forward to them.
I appreciate your dissenting point of view. I've gone beyond having athletes or politicians as heroes because too many of them fail to live up to any reasonable standard of decency, but I recognize that many people feel utterly betrayed by his marital failings. So, although I'm disappointed in Tiger's failings, it doesn't cause me any discomfort because I never looked up to him for anything other than his unparalleled ability to dominate on the golf course.
On the matter of whether watching Tiger suffer gives pleasure to his detractors, I must say that Schadenfreude (yes there's actually a psychological term for the behavior) strikes me as a worthless sort of pleasure. I've taken a few knocks in my life and I've watched as others took some measure of pleasure and it just doesn't make any sense to me. I agree that the "destruction that he did to his wife and children and to himself" is incalculable. But it is something that a person can recover from. His family can forgive him and even if his wife ultimately feels that she cannot trust him enough to remain his wife, he still can come back reasonably whole.
The offenses here are so personal and so removed from his golf game that I think it is better as a golf fan to compartmentalize that part of his life and to focus on his ability to come back to competitive golf. We'll never really know whether he really got the message in rehab. We'll never really know whether Elin has a solid basis to trust him or not. The only thing that we'll really be able to know is whether he is able to return to the game and remain the best player in the game. That's public and it's measurable.
...but what I was trying to illustrate was Tiger's consistently high/superior level of performance day-in day-out, week-in week-out, year-in year-out, for more than a decade.
To me, this level of achievement would be impossible for someone with a substance abuse problem.
I learned a long time ago ... crazy is is what crazy does. Just look at a person's actions ... not the hot air.
Of course, I'm full of hot air, I admit. I'm also always right!
I hope he does well off the golf course and reaches 17 majors on it.
Tiger could do us one favor and fire Stevie. That would please me more than tears on camera.
The redeemer: Tiger wins the Masters, when Nantz ask him about the storm that was brewing during Tiger’s 3-under back nine, Tiger replies, “Yeah Jim, you would have had a heck of a time keeping that comb-over down. It was really blowing out there.”
The spirit of the game is a phrase that has been used much in recent times when discussing the wedge controversy but, do any you of realise this phrase is actually contained within the etiquette section of the Rules of Golf? An extract from The Spirit of the Game ...
"All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf."
When he starts behaving more like a Tom Watson on the course and less like the bum he actually is, then and only then will I begin to believe he's a changed man.
Exactly.
I once pulled for Woods, but got totally turned off because of his on-course behavior.