Hank Haney Decides He'd Like To Spend Less Time Denying That He's Been Fired

So here's the story.

Here's Hank Haney's website in case you didn't have it bookmarked.

Let's get to his statement. It's moving, I tell you.

I have informed Tiger Woods this evening that I will no longer
be his coach.

If it's by text or voice mail, do you think Tiger will share it with us?

“I would like to thank Tiger for the opportunity that I have had to work with him over the past 6 plus years. Tiger Woods has done the work to achieve a level of greatness that I believe the game of golf has never seen before and I will always appreciate the opportunity that I have had to contribute to his successes. I have also enjoyed the association that I have had with Tiger both on and off the golf course as I have had some incredible experiences. In coaching and teaching Tiger I have also learned a lot, not only about golf, but about people and life in general. It has been a great learning experience and along the way Tiger has elevated me in my own profession to a level that I never thought I would achieve before I had the opportunity to work with him.

Hear, hear!

“In many ways because of all of the time that I have spent with Tiger, I may have learned more from him than he has ever learned from me.

Erase your texts, don't leave voice mails, make sure you have a really good short game if you are going to try the Haney method...that about sum it up?

So I believe at this time that it is in both of our best interests for me to step aside as Tiger's coach.

Now let me get this straight. A student goes to a teacher to become better. But in this case, the teacher decides he's learned from the student all he needs to learn for his own betterment and abandons the student at his greatest time of need? I'm just saying...

“I will always look back upon our past half dozen years together as my best days in professional golf.It would be a dream of any coach to have a student like Tiger Woods and for me it has a dream come true. Just so there is no confusion I would like to make it clear that this is my decision.

Yes, we want to be clear that you are dumping your student at the absolute lowest point of his career.

Tiger Woods and I will always be friends,

I'm not so sure about that...

but I believe that there is a time and place for everything and I feel at this time and at this place in my life I want to move forward in other areas.

Season three of my Golf Channel reality show!

“Tiger has been just an incredible performer in golf and he has achieved great success throughout his career. First with his father Earl, and then with Butch Harmon as his coach, followed by me, I know Tiger Woods will be successful in the future no matter who helps him. He is an incredible athlete with an incredible work ethic.

As we all know, Tiger has been through a lot in the last six months, and I really believe that given the chance, mind free and injury free, we will all see Tiger Woods play once again like we all know he can.

And now that he's dumped his swing coach...oh wait, no, it's the other way around.

“I wish Tiger well, not only with his golf, but in finding peace and happiness in all aspects of his life. Tiger knows that if he ever needs me in anyway, whether it be with his golf or just as a friend he can always call.I will always, as I have been in the past, be there for him.

Just not right now in this time of need.

From a personal standpoint, I look forward to being able to make many more contributions to the great game of golf in the days and years ahead.”

Hank Haney

So, let's refresh our memories with some of Haney's recent comments. Last week, talking to Bob Harig.

"Tiger's record speaks for itself," Haney, 55, said Thursday by telephone. "If everyone wants to say it is my fault. ... People are entitled to their opinions. You can't do anything about that. But the results are what they are and the facts are what they are. What can I say?"

What Haney says is that he just received a quarterly payment, that he has not been told his services are no longer needed and that Woods is enduring a complicated time in his life that is bound to affect his golf.

Wonder if he'll be sending that quarterly payment back?

And a few days later, May 6, in a John Huggan column.

"I seriously doubt that if the things outside of golf hadn't changed so drastically for Tiger, then my teaching wouldn't be coming into question right now," Haney continued in an e-mail.

True, those wild tee shots and other wacky shots went totally unnoticed the last few years.

Tiger's Neck Is Both Awful And No Big Deal; Just Don't Say It's His Back

The highlights from his AT&T conference call as reported by Doug Ferguson:

"I'm at a point now where I just can't go anymore," he said.

Woods said he's been taking anti-inflammatory drugs, but they have not helped. He plans to have an MRI when he returns to Orlando, Fla.

He said his schedule is "up in the air" and could be shaped based on what he sees in the MRI.

Woods insisted he can deal with the pain, which he feels in the right side of his neck, but cannot deal with the spasms that affect his ability to turn his head.

I heard from a source today that Tiger was doing full workouts with heavy weightlifting at his hotel even with this neck situation. Makes sense with a sore neck and a bulging di...err, neck issue.

Here's the report from yesterday that got the bulging di...err, you know, out there.

A few other things from the transcript.

Q. Just wondering about your back which you hurt yesterday and the reason you withdrew from the tournament; did you get any examinations or see any doctor about it?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it's not my back like it's been reported. It is my neck.
Yesterday I did pull out and it was because the pain is such that, yeah, it is annoying and it's painful, but I can deal with the pain. But once it locked up, I couldn't move back or through. I couldn't actually turn going back and I couldn't turn coming through.

This gave me a chuckle since he hasn't been to Riviera since his last WD and probably won't be back anytime soon.

Q. Why Aronimink? What made you choose Aronimink, as opposed to many other golf courses in the area? Had you ever heard about it before? Have you ever played it before?

TIGER WOODS: Haven't played it. Been out here, walked it, been around it, but just it's also the rich history that Aronimink has. We were at Congressional, another golf course that has a rich history, and I have always been a proponent of why don't we go to golf courses that are like this. We don't get a chance to play too many golf courses like this; so it's a treat for us as players.

One of the reasons why you see a lot of players play Quail follow is it's a great golf course; Riviera, it's a great golf course; Torrey Pines. We don't get a chance to play old-style venues like this very often, and when you do, you take advantage of it. And Aronimink was as nice as can be to allow us to come here for two years.

"Now I'm just another guy with a win."

As is often the case with international winners, Players Champ Tim Clark is just a lot more interesting to listen to after a round than his American counterparts. Sam Weinman captures the biggest laugh line (for the media anyway):

Not until Allenby's final birdie attempt slid past the hole was Clark assured the win. In its aftermath, the player admitted to a brief letdown.

"A part of me is disappointed because no one is going to talk about me anymore," he said with a smile. "At least you had something to write about before. Now I'm just another guy with a win."

Mike McCallister slipped in this little jaw dropper about the runner-up:

While much has been made of Clark's 0-for-205 streak before Sunday, Allenby's winless streak on the PGA TOUR has been even longer -- 223 starts since his 2001 win at the Marconi Pennsylvania Classic. Is tasting success and then not getting another sip of it for nine years worse than having not tasted it at all?

Helen Ross reviews the ironic story Allenby told after the round about Clark.

The golf.com gang noted this about Clark's ball:

Van Sickle: What happened to the yellow Srixon ball Tim Clark was using last month? A fine marketing opportunity lost. The Players could've boasted a yellow and orange ball user among its list of all-time champions.

Herre: Jerry Pate won the 1982 Players using an orange Wilson ball. Do I get bonus points?
Bamberger: Johnny Miller picked up on the Srixon thread, with Allenby and Clark going low with it.

Dusek: Nice move for a guy that is paid to endorse Callaway.

"Last week: MC. This week: WD. Next event: TBD."

Damon Hack on Tiger's WD Sunday:

The strangest six months of Woods's life — and maybe in the life of the PGA Tour — continued in Northeast Florida on Sunday as Woods ballooned an iron approach on the seventh hole, walked up to his playing partner, Jason Bohn, and withdrew from the tournament, citing a neck injury. Last week: MC. This week: WD. Next event: TBD.

Though Hack sounds pretty jaded about all things coming out of Tiger's mouth at this point, he does throw in this reminder for those taking issue with Tiger's honesty:

In fact, during his pre-Masters press conference, he acknowledged that he was treated at the hospital after his Thanksgiving night accident for "a busted lip and a pretty sore neck."

Steve Elling writes:

Outside of being served divorce papers while standing in the first tee box, the reincarnation of Woods career couldn't get much worse. Every time he seems to be at low ebb, the haymakers keep coming.

For the Tiger bashers, and there are legions of them at this point, the scandal and ensuing comeback has been the gift that keeps on giving. If you thought cosmic karma was involved in the feel-good story of Phil Mickelson winning the Masters as Woods made his comeback after a 144-day layoff relating to the worst scandal in golf history, well, providence and kismet were standing next in linne.

Michael McCarthy of USA Today reviews the various comments from television commentators, including a follow up from ESPN that Paul Azinger's job is safe in spite of his Swedish massage tweet.

The SI Confidential guys devote two pages to Tiger. A highlight:

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Hard to believe that in the prime of his career he could be an absolute non-factor for an entire season, but that's looking more and more likely now.

Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: If Tiger were a stock, now would be the time to buy. Can't go much lower, but long-term, still lots of value. (I gotta stop reading Fortune.)

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: You would have to be out of your mind to count Tiger Woods out. Even if he doesn't win for the next two years, he'll be back before he's done.

Van Sickle: I agree he'll be back eventually. I also agree that it's going to be longer than we thought. He's not going to step right back into it. I'd say he's not going to get there until his marriage situation is resolved.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this WD is an indication of Tiger's lack of desire and weariness about this period in his personal life and golf game. I think the pre-scandal Tiger is able to get through 18 holes and handle an injury with care. As to the question about the remainder of the season: I think it's possible that he doesn't play again until Pebble Beach. The summer is not lost.

Brooks thinks he knows why Tiger pulled out of The Players.

Saturday At The 2010 Players

I didn't follow Lee Westwood long today but I can't help but continue to be impressed with the aura surrounding him as he builds toward a possible Players win, and this summer, the Opens.

His new physique remains something to behold (even after the Masters). Just look at the NBC head shots of him, pre-training program. And while a noticeably slimmer waist or chiseled facial features are not the obvious recipe for major success, it's his overall devotion to his body, mind, game and schedule that oozes a unique determination to win a major.

Listening to his agent a few days ago explain Westwood's pre-U.S. Open run that starts with a return trip home and featuring a centerpiece 10-12 days of physical training over two weeks--"like a boxer," Chubby Chandler says--followed by a practice trip to Pebble, then the Memphis stop and ending with the Open at Pebble, you sense a Phil or Tiger or Padraig-like focus that makes it hard not to consider him a favorite in both Opens and certainly Sunday at the TPC.

Jeff Rude quotes Westwood about his mindset after taking the third round lead at The Players:

“I’m pleased with myself knocking on the door and getting in position,” he said. “Some of the golf I’ve played in big tournaments has been great stuff.”

Westwood is better equipped to excel in golf’s most prestigious tournaments because he has shored up his short game the last couple of years. He looked around and saw that leading players such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington had “wicked short games.”

“Once it sunk in,” he said, “it started paying dividends.”

So watch for those wedge shots around the greens, particularly off the tight lies. And more importantly, note the quiet determination. It should prove interesting to watch, particularly if someone can put a little heat on Westwood. After all, the numbers aren't on his side, as Brian Wacker suggests:

-He's 0-for-America in the last 12 years.
-A Brit has never won this tournament.
-He's 0-for-51 in major championships and while this isn't a major, it's a major deal.
-Seventeen of the 28 winners of THE PLAYERS Championship have trailed going into the final round.
-He's Lee Westwood and this is what he does. He teases us. He tempts us. He's lures us in with the charming accent and a personality to match.

As always, click on the images to enlarge...

And on 18...

Golf News Of The Weird: GolfStat Edition

Beth Ann Baldry with a strange DQ of a Notre Dame senior golfer for intentionally reporting the wrong scores to the for-profit GolfStat during a tournament round.

"Be polite."

Steve Elling on a fun post-round scene today at TPC Sawgrass.

As ever, Phil Mickelson was signing autographs outside the scoring center at The Players Championship, having torn up the course with a 6-under 66 on Saturday to move into contention, and fans clamored three and four deep to get his signature.

Nothing new there. Then Tiger Woods walked past, having just completed another lackluster round.

A boy waiting in line for Mickelson to sign a souvenir, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, yelled out a biting comment to the reigning world numero uno.

"Say goodbye to No. 1, Tiger," the kid said. "Kiss it goodbye."

Double ouch. Not only has Mickelson unseated Woods as the game's most popular player, he's seemingly on the verge of dethroning him as the top dog in the world rankings.

Mickelson gave the kid a tsk-tsk. A less-classy player might have slipped the kid $100.

"Be polite," Mickelson said to the boy.

TPC Sawgrass Maintenance Blog...

Thanks to reader Kevin for the head's up on Tom Vlach's TPC Sawgrass maintenance blog. Of particular interest are the images of the course just two months ago versus this week.