The reporters at the Tiger Woods news conference” last Friday in Florida were not permitted to ask questions, as everybody knows – everybody, that is, except the Dalai Lama, who until recently had never heard of the other anointed one.
You can almost hear, all the way from Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, a rather disgusted chairman Phil Knight: Get some shoes to his compound in India on the double! What size does Mr. Lama wear, anyway?”
As for the rest of us, we’ll give Tiger Woods as much time as he needs to work on his personal issues. They won’t be resolved in a matter of months. He’s not tweaking his swing.
What were you, specifically, being treated for at the clinic? And do you now consider yourself to be totally cured?
Keep in mind that no responsible media members will ask him to disclose what precisely took place during his rehab sessions – and if they do, Woods has every right to brush them off. That is clearly a private matter. On the other hand, there is no reason he shouldn’t be able to reveal the type of addiction. Is it an addiction to sex or something else? And for how long has he been addicted? When did he first realize he was addicted? Did he attempt to quit before, and if so, what happened?
From a public-relations perspective, how do you feel your team of advisers has managed the whole situation?
There doesn’t seem to be anyone on the planet who believes that Team Tiger has made many right moves since the Nov. 27 auto accident. It would be useful to hear Woods weigh in on this matter, to explain the reasoning behind his prolonged silence – especially when a comprehensive apology in the first several days, in person and not on his website, might have somewhat defused the controversy. Were there others in his camp who advised him to speak out sooner? Did he ever seriously consider it? How would Woods do things differently if he could have a mulligan, starting, say, on the afternoon of November 27?
Has golf lost any of its meaning to you because of the troubles in your private life?
It would be fascinating to find out where golf rates with Woods after putting his wife and family through so much turmoil, and whether he may now lack that extra degree of motivation which made him the most mentally tough athlete in the world. Perhaps the pursuit of major No. 19 to pass Jack Nicklaus isn’t the goal it once was or ever will be again. In the scheme of things, where does golf fit in? Is there any c
oncern he may not be the same competitor he was before his secret life was exposed?
Do you think your behavior on the golf course needs to change? If so, how?
For years, Woods has been criticized for the profanity he displays on a regular basis after a poor shot. Tom Watson, among others, has urged Woods to clean up his language on the course, saying that he wasn’t behaving in the manner of the game’s legendary players from the past. However, for the most part, Woods has been given a pass. Looking back, is he ready to acknowledge that he has been wrong to swear as often as he has and does he pledge to cease this kind of behavior? Also, he’s largely refrained from interaction with the spectators at every tour event. Will that change? Will Woods, for example, spend more time signing autographs and speaking to reporters? Will we, in short, see a new Tiger?
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