In a controlled setting, Tiger makes his first public appearance
Tiger Woods hasn’t said anything yet, but he already has received a wave of criticism for his announced “news conference,” this morning in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
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When Woods speaks at 11 a.m. from the clubhouse at the TPC at Sawgrass, it will be his first public appearance since he slammed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant on Thanksgiving night, triggering revelations of his unseemly private life and sending him into hiding and sex addiction rehab.
This morning, Woods will face one television camera and a group of hand-picked reporters, who will not be allowed to ask questions as the golf superstar reads a prepared statement. According to Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg, the audience will include “a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates.”
“He will discuss his past and his future and he intends to apologize for his behavior,” said Steinberg.
Woods’ announcement today, “is all about the next step,” Steinberg told the Associated Press. “He’s looking forward to it.”
But many in the media who have chronicled Woods’ ascent to the top of the sports world, don’t expect much from the notoriously-guarded Woods, who owns a yacht he famously dubbed “Privacy.”
Alex Miceli of the Golf Channel characterized today’s news conference as a “sham.”
“Tiger is orchestrating the media, or trying to,” said Miceli. “He was our marionette for 10 years. He thinks he still is.”
Woods also is taking criticism from players for the timing of his announcement. It comes during the Accenture Match Play Championship. Accenture was the first sponsor to drop Woods when his extra-marital affairs came to light.
“It’s selfish,” tour veteran Ernie Els told Golfweek. “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.”
According to CBS Sports, Woods will not divulge today when he plans to return to the PGA Tour. Commissioner Tim Finchem told the Golf Channel that Woods hasn’t indicated to him when he plans to come back.
“I’m assuming that this development means he’s making progress on the issues he indicated, a couple of months ago, that he needs to deal with,” said Finchem. “I’ll be as interested as anybody to find out.”
Some believe Woods will play for the first time in public at the Tavistock Cup. The PGA-sanctioned event, with an invitation-only gallery, will be played March 22-23 at Isleworth Country Club, in the gated community where Woods lives.
It would put Woods on track to play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, March 25-28, and then in the Masters, April 8-11, where he would resume his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships. Woods, 34, has won 14 majors, his last coming in June of 2008 when he beat Rocco Mediate in a memorable playoff at the U.S. Open.
