So why is Tiger Woods making Friday’s big press statement (don’t call it a press conference!) right in the middle of the Accenture Match Play Championship? Ernie Els, for one, is not amused.
“It’s selfish,” Els told a reporter from American magazine Golf Week. “You can write that. I feel sorry for the sponsor. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament.”
“It’s like Tim (Finchem, the tour commissioner) has lost his head. He wants Tiger back in the worst way and so he lets this go on. I mean, we all want to see Tiger back, but this doesn’t look good.”
That Ernie, such a quiet one. You never know what he’s thinking.
Some are saying that the timing of the State of the Woods address is a deliberate attempt to stick it to Accenture, which was one of the first sponsors to drop Woods when the sex scandal hit the fan. Others say that the timing was necessary so that Woods could beat the deadline to announce that he’s playing in the Tavistock Cup, which is played near his home in Orlando in March.
Mark Steinberg, Woods’ manager, stopped just short of saying as much in response to Els.
“It’s always good to get your information right before commenting. It’s strictly a timing issue. There is a very good reason (for Friday) and not do it next week.”
But when pressed, he wouldn’t elaborate.
Rory Mcllroy believes Woods did it deliberately, as the sponsor in question was one of the first to dump the American after the revelations about his private life emerged following a bizarre car crash on November 27.
“He’s got to come out at some point,” McIlroy said. “I suppose he might want to get something back against the sponsor that dropped him.”
Match Play defending champion Geoff Ogilvy was unimpressed at Woods’ decision not to take questions at the US Tour’s headquarters where the controlled press conference will take place.
“Maybe we can put the whole tournament on hold for 10 minutes to watch,” he said. “The only thing I will say about it is that I would like to see him answer some questions.”
***
Els blasts Woods over announcement [UKPA]
Tiger Woods accused of ‘selfishness’ by Ernie Els as
world No 1 prepares to face the music [London Daily Mail]
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- OhComeOn!! - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:35 AM
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At this point, TW can’t win. First everyone wants him to make an appearance and discuss things, now they only want that if it’s on their terms. Good job Tiger, stick it to Accenture as hard as you can, and when new sponsors come calling, tell them your price has doubled.
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- Booner - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:44 AM
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Great golfer, poor excuse for a husband. I’m glad to see that his golfing peers are not standing around and kissing the ground that Tiger walks on. Hopefully, Tiger’s arrogance on and off the course will kick a few of these guys in the ass to become better golfers and give Tiger a run for his money.
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- Henry - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:49 AM
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Els and Ogilvy, both of you need to shut the F–K up and play golf. If it wasn’t for Tiger you guys would not make as much money as you do now. So leave him alone.
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- jzpenguin - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:49 AM
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Eldrick might be a great golfer, but as a person he is a phony.
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- mooch8 - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:50 AM
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tiger is a piece of crap, all the pro’s should be upset. I for one do not care if he ever steps back on the course. I watch(follow) golf for love of the game not because of tiger, he could never replace jack as the best. screw him let him stay home
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- Joe - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:55 AM
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Tiger is an arrogant jerk… the world now knows that fully… Oh, and did I mention he is a total perverted CHEAT, too??
NO press conference is ever going to eliminate that!
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- all about me - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:55 AM
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If Tiger has resentments toward any sponsors that dumped him he only needs to look in the mirror and see what a piece of crap he has become…seriously his statement needs to address his off the rail psychological problems, it shouldn’t be an attempt to piss on Accenture and the rest of the tour players
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- KimG - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:56 AM
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Wow, a ten minute “news conference” is pissing this many people off? Lame. It’s not like anyone is watching the stupid match play tournament anyway because no one cares about golf when Woods isn’t playing! No one would even KNOW Ernie Els, McIlroy or Olgilvy if it wasn’t for Tiger Woods’ popularity. So stop complaining and play golf while you can win – you know, since Tiger isn’t there. If you are pissed, then don’t watch. Those guys should be playing golf anyway, which they aren’t as good at as Tiger Woods, which is why they are crying. WAAAAA!
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- Ren - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:57 AM
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Tiger and Obama… a couple of arrogant black jerks on a grand scale.
Way to NOT do your race a service… You two have set blacks back 25 years!
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- Don - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:58 AM
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I think, Ernie is scared that Tiger is coming back and and kick his ass. Ernie is the biggest loser of all head to head match with Tiger. Now, he won’t even have a chance to win a pgatour not alone a major. Sorry Ernie you are in wrong era, just keep work hard.
Don.
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- Female Golf Fan - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:58 AM
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Answer questions about what, intimate details of his infidelity? That is private and should remain so. This is about Golf and the world’s best golfer. I cannot wait to see him on the course again and hell yes he should stick it to those sponsors who ran from him. This guy is worth every cent he ever made. While I do not condone his actions, it’s his private life and none of my business…regardless of whether he is a public figure.Go Tiger!
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- Vicki - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:59 AM
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Take me back to the time when sports figures and others’ personal lives were left personal. Who, but his wife, should care who he is with? This is none of the public’s business. He is a golf pro, for crying out loud, not a criminal.
Get a life!!
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- hector - Feb 18, 2010 at 10:59 AM
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All these other golfers all wish Tiger wouldn’t play anymore so maybe theu would have a chance to win. Like none of them have ever strayed from their marriage vows. They were just not caught. Tiger ought to go out there and drive the ball with his d**k and really piss them off.
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- King - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:00 AM
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Ogilvy, Tiger does not owe you or anyone else any explanations about his personal life.
Els, Is tiger playing in the accenture tourney? NO!!! Which means no one cares about the tournament anyway.
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- redrunner55 - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:00 AM
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*yawn*
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- Roy - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:00 AM
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The true golfer understands that Tiger Woods has brought Golf to the level of the NBA. A person who has allegedly stood for rightiousness and wanted to be a role model for the youth of america, First Tee, the Tiger Woods Foundation is now a mockery. I for one would just as soon see him never play the game again. You have never seen Jack, Arnold, Gary, Ben, throw clubs, curse on the course. Why should we forgive him and want him to come back is Golf not bigger than one person. The game will survive without him
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- Mary Ann O'Brien - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:01 AM
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I love it, great move by Tiger. If people don’t want to watch Tiger golf then don’t. If players don’t want to play with him don’t. Who cares? good for him-stick it to everyone. Let those PGA players making comments do something and beat Tiger in golf. HA!
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- Contrary Mary - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:01 AM
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If he has trouble putting it in the hole, perhaps he can become an evangelist. He would be right at home with those people. I say, he’s toast!
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- Christine - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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I’m disappointed in Ernie Els. He’s been around and should know that getting facts before jumping to conclusions is the correct thing to do. Maybe there’s some bad blood there? Tiger has won a lot of tournaments that Ernie had a chance at. As far as Rory: He’s a kid, and I won’t assume he intended to say anything controversial. He just didn’t think first, and doesn’t yet understand what the media can do with and unintended comment. I agree with OhComeOn!! Doesn’t seem that Tiger can come out ahead on anything right now. Also, whatever he says won’t be enough, and it’ll just get things stirred up again for the media. Tiger and his family deserve some privacy to heal. And really, how many men out there are guilty of marital infidelity? A majority of you, I’d safely guess, media included. Let’s stop with the hypocrisy.
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- dtill - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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Tiger cheated…who cares? Not our business and certainly not a crime. Am I the only person that feels the incident that occurred at his home should have been investigated a bit more? If the wife wrecked the truck and Tiger was at the scene holding a golf club, there wouldh have been domestic violence charges flying all over the place. Unless the real crime is being discussed, I could care less about the news conference.
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- Purple People Eater - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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Of course the other golfers are mad! Sheesh, he beats them like red-headed step children. He out earns them in both winnings and endorsements. Since when is the sport that celebrates the 19th hole a family sport anyway? Have you ever been on a golf course? There are no families I have seen there for sure. Get over it you other no name, no money making, ‘I wish I were Tiger golfers’…. HE’S BAAAACCKKK
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- Memphis Slim - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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Like so many other man-children, Tiger has made it clear that he is unable to carry out the requirements of a legal contract.
Tiger can do whatever he wants; as long as he understands that it is impossible for anyone to trust him when he signs his name to any kind of legal/financial/social contract.
Sounds like a great way to live if you’re ten years old.
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- T - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:03 AM
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I just don’t understand why people care about his personal life so much, and relate it to his golfing career. What he did was not illegal. It was just sex, he wasn’t on steroids or other performance enhancing drugs that would effect his golf game. The are completely unrelated.
If you want to go after someone, pick on John Daly. He is a drunk whom smokes on the golf course while on tv, now there’s your true role model.
Michael Jordan did a hell of a lot worse and he is still a deity to all.
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- Tim - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:03 AM
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Its a timing issue? All the guy has right now is time. Does he have a date he cant interfere with.
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- Heater - Feb 18, 2010 at 11:04 AM
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Has anyone considered what will take place if
Tiger wins the Masters? As the green jacket is slipped over his shoulders, last years champ pat’s him on the back and says’ great job, Tiger! Wouldn’t this be kind of awkward?
