Tiger Woods

[sadie1263]

Wow......so much for rebuilding his image and attracting back endorsement deals..........his golf game sure isn't doing it....so you would have thought he would try harder to at least look more likable.

***********************************
Story by Ryan Ballengee

“When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game.”

Tiger Woods said that simple, yet potentially profound remark in his February 19, 2010, press conference at TPC Sawgrass to make his formal mea culpa to his wife, family, friends and fans. It may well have been a throwaway line at the end of his lengthy remarks in a surreal speech, but the words certainly rang hollow with Woods final round behavior in Dubai.

On Sunday in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic, Woods was in the middle of a frustrating final round – a now familiar experience for Woods, given these last twelve months – when he let loose a wad of spit onto the 12th green at Emirates Golf Club. It was big and loud, and embarrassing.

To the golf world, his explicit admission of disrespectful behavior on the course was profound. Woods has been cussing, spitting, farting and club slamming his way around the world of professional golf for years. In golf circles, it has certainly been noticed – and boom microphones definitely have picked up the varying noise from Woods – but a chorus of criticism was not particularly loud. Winning tends to silence the critics.

Few exceptions among his peers broke the silence. Most notably, Tom Watson authored a letter to Woods asking his for more professional decorum on the links.

At first, Woods comeback was rife with out of character behavior for the better. Signing autographs, replacement words for typical curses and some more smiling. As Woods’ play crumbled over the year, so, too did the facade Tiger had worn for his reintroduction to the game and the spotlight.

Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murphy was not shy to critique Tiger, as he laid into Woods on-air for the incident, saying, “You look at his work ethics and he is a credit to the game and an inspiration to all of those who are trying to become professional golfers.

“But there are some parts of him that are just arrogant and petulant. Somebody now has to come behind him and maybe putt over his spit. It does not get much lower than that.”

Woods was paired with Sergio Garcia, who is not without his own travails with spitting. In 2007 at the PGA Tour’s Doral event, Garcia spit in the cup at the 13th hole after making a bogey he didn’t like. Garcia did not deny it, defending his actions by saying the spittle went in the middle of the cup, so no one would touch it. Lovely.

There is a certain degree of exceptionalism – American exceptionalism, to get nationalistic – that should come from a top player, however wounded, who serves as an ambassador for the game. It’s a bad example to hock a loogie like sitting in a baseball dugout. Ball players do it under cover to avoid being seen. (Same can’t be said for crotch grabbing.)

Respect for the game implies a proper etiquette. Many of Woods’ behaviors, on display in Dubai, fly in the face of that expectation. The European Tour may censure or fine Woods for his, er, approach, but a change has to come from within to embrace a true deviation in what has become long-standing disrespect for the game.

progolftalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/13/woods-lambasted-for-spitting-incident-in-dubai-final-round/related

[♫anna♫]

Mr. Woods is just another reason why I hate watching golf!

[sadie1263]

Seems like a nasty brat, doesn't he?

[sadie1263]

If you or I played in a PGA Tour event, how many holes would it take to hit a fairway?

One? Nah. Maybe three. How about 11? That’s how many holes it took Tiger to hit a fairway at Firestone CC on Saturday en route to 2-over 72 that dropped him to 1-over par for the week at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Woods had his worst round of the week, beginning with a bogey after his drive landed in a fairway bunker and his approach wound up well shy of the green.

A few holes later, Woods hit a spectator at the sixth after missing a reasonable birdie try at the par-3 5th. The break allowed Woods to hit his approach to seven feet, but he missed a birdie putt again.

Woods dropped another shot at the eighth when his booming tee shot found the rough and left him no chance at the green. He recovered to close the nine with a 20-foot birdie, though, after a well played approach.

The first hit of the day came at the 11th as Woods put his approach to inside 10 feet. Again, he missed the putt to get back to even for the day.

Woods stuck his approach at the par-3 15th, making a 7-foot birdie for his cleanest hole of the day.

The end of the round was a struggle for the world’s 28th-ranked player, as he made two bogeys in the last three holes. Woods 3-putted both the 16th and 18th greens from 45 feet for a pair of disappointing bogeys to shoot 2-over and fall well back of the pace, now trailing by 10 shots.

[june]

he's really hit the skids - perhaps he's not getting enough 'exercise' ;D

[alanseago]

I decided, many years ago, to replace my newly found spectator sport, golf, with the much more exciting egg boiling.

[sadie1263]

Aug 6, 2011 19:55:39 GMT alanseago said:

I decided, many years ago, to replace my newly found spectator sport, golf, with the much more exciting egg boiling.

I actually watched part of a golf game......last year I think.....(I lost a bet)....Tiger was playing and it was actually kinda funny.....they had a mic on him and he talks about himself in 3rd person.....he hit a bad shot and actually said "Tiger Woods you suck"......then he was using really foul language......and we were actually laughing almost hysterically thru it.......I don't think we watched like we were supposed to.....but for quite awhile after that....my son and I would both say "Tiger Woods you suck" if we messed up while we were doing something.

[sadie1263]

Aug 6, 2011 19:44:08 GMT @june said:

he's really hit the skids - perhaps he's not getting enough 'exercise' ;D

So......not swinging is messing up his swing?

[june]

Aug 7, 2011 15:09:02 GMT sadie1263 said:

Aug 6, 2011 19:44:08 GMT @june said:

he's really hit the skids - perhaps he's not getting enough 'exercise' ;D

So......not swinging is messing up his swing?

Indeed!