Tiger: "We wanted to limit the 'stalkarazzi'"

/

Interesting thinking by Tiger and Lindsey Vonn in releasing the Lifetime movie publicity photos.

Bob Harig reports:

"It's very simple. We're very happy where we're at, but also we wanted to limit the 'stalkarazzi' and all those sleazy websites that are out there following us," Woods said Wednesday at the Bay Hill Club, where he will play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational starting Thursday. "I've had situations where it's been very dangerous for my kids and the extent they'll go to. We basically devalued the first photos.

"Unfortunately, that's just the way it is in our society right now, and we felt like it was the best thing to do. I'm very happy about it."

Flashback: When Lindsey Mocked Tiger

/

Thanks to reader John from sending in this Time item from three years ago where Sean Gregory of Time quoted new Tiger Facebook friend Lindsey Vonn uttering less than nice things about her future beau.

And like millions of Americans, Vonn can't help poking fun at Woods' staged event. When a member of her Vonn-tourage tells her that Woods gave a few friends hugs after ending his statement, she cracks, "They're like, 'Yeah, you're awesome, you go have that sex.' " The room breaks into a laugh. Then she describes a skit she would want to perform if asked to host Saturday Night Live: picture Vonn at Woods' podium, blue backdrop and all. "There's something you don't know about me," Vonn says in a faux solemn, apologetic voice. "Tiger, you're like my idol, and I too have a sex problem." More laughter. "That would be freaking funny."

Meanwhile the Deadspin Photoshop contest has turned in some real gems interspersed with plenty of Perkins references and other so-so efforts. It's kind of an odd slideshow window, but just be aware of the arrows on the left and right of the images at the bottom of the post to navigate the hundred or so entries.

My favorite:

Tiger And Lindsey Announce On Facebook They're Dating, Have Slightly Awkward Photos To Prove It

/

Thanks to reader Irwin for passing along Tiger's Woods Facebook announcement that he and Lindsey Vonn are dating.

And now leave them alone:

This season has been great so far and I'm happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral. Something nice that's happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating. We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes.

Interesting PR tactic by the power couple and quite different for Tiger, but clearly the other ways they've tackled news of his personal life haven't worked. So why not?

Though I'm not sure if these were the photos I would have chosen. But hey, that's why they pay Steiny and Glenn Greenspan the big bucks!

Just a little too Step Brothers movie postery for me:


Tiger: The Ultimate Horse For A Course

/

Bob Harig dissects Tiger's remarkable track record at a select group of courses, including his last five victories: Bay Hill, Memorial, Congressional, Torrey Pines and Doral.

And it is true that 40 of Woods' 76 PGA Tour victories have come at seven courses: Torrey Pines (8), Firestone (7), Bay Hill (7), Muirfield Village (5), Cog Hill (5), Augusta National (4) and Doral (4).

At those venues alone, his victory total is just one fewer than that of Phil Mickelson, one more than Tom Watson, six more than Vijay Singh.

A video segment accompanies the story:

Tiger Still Has Skeptics Files!

/

Following Tiger Woods's second win of 2013 and just a month before the Masters, it's hardly a surprise that many are back on the bandwagon.

Derek Lawrenson in the Daily Mail wasn't so impressed:

Reading some of the reports coming out of America on Monday they might just as well skip the tournament part of the Masters next month and head straight to the green-jacket ceremony.

But they ignored one vital fact. Tiger won’t win the Masters playing like he did at Doral. Or rather, he won’t win driving the ball like he did at Doral.

Add Ron Sirak to that list too.

The thing about bandwagons is that they are moving targets. Jumping on and off comes with its share of risk. Right now, the Tiger Woods bandwagon, light of load in recent years, is once again buckling under the weight of its cargo.

Video: Rory Stopping A Ball On The Back Of His Wedge

/

As if Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy don't have enough to bond over, it seems Rory might have one-upped the old geezer when it comes to wedge tricks.

While Tiger's old Nike ad remains a pretty incredible work of craftsmanship, for the life of me I can't figure out this trick Rory pulls where the ball goes from his clubface to the back of the wedge.

Thanks to Shane Bacon for pointing it out.

NY Times White House Reporter: "According to accounts from Mr. Rosaforte, who emerged as the best source of information."

/

Jackie Calmes of the NY Times and sequestered White House press corps tries to piece together Barack Obama's all-golf weekend and admits to relying on Golf World's Tim Rosaforte for most information from The Floridian where the President played with Tiger Woods Sunday.

Mr. Obama arrived for Sunday’s game well-practiced and primed for 36 holes, according to accounts from Mr. Rosaforte, who emerged as the best source of information. While the small pool of White House reporters and photographers remained out of sight, restricted to a bus just inside the resort’s iron gates and reliant on Mr. Earnest for sparse details, Mr. Rosaforte apparently was allowed access to the grounds and the elite group.

“The president loves his golf,” he reported on the Golf Channel after Saturday’s long outing.

Mr. Obama played 18 holes on Saturday, broke for lunch and then went straight to a driving range for practice with the Harmons, Mr. Rosaforte said. Nine more holes followed, with the team of Mr. Obama and Butch Harmon winning and “taking a couple bucks off” the others, Mr. Rosaforte added, and then Mr. Obama headed to the Harmons’ Learning Center “and beat balls for almost an hour.”

The coaches said they had instructed Mr. Obama on “pretty simple stuff,” Mr. Rosaforte said, like advising the left-handed president on how to better align his right shoulder when he swings.

“The president,” he added, “walked over to say that Butch had given him a couple things to work on — big smile on his face.”

Since the White House has released no images from the day, we'll just go with the Golf Digest cover posted at GolfDigest.com for the most accurate representation of the day.

Rosie also did his best Christiane Amanpour impression, hunkered down in a dark room as bombs went off in the background, telling an MSNBC anchor about the day. Other than the guy calling him Jim at one point instead of Tim, I'd say it was a big day in golf press history!