Black golf pioneer Powell dies
December 31, 2009
CANTON, Ohio (AP)—Bill Powell, the first African American to build, own andoperate a golf course, died Thursday. He was 93.
The PGA of America said Powell died at Aultman Hospital in Canton followingcomplications from a stroke.
“Bill Powell will forever be one of golf’s most unforgettable Americanheroes,” PGA of America president Jim Remy said. “Bill made us appreciate thegame and each other that much more by his gentle, yet firm example.
“He was born with a fire within his heart to build on his dream. In theprocess, he made golf a beacon for people of all color. The PGA of America isbetter today because of individuals like Bill Powell. We will miss him dearly.We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family as we remember a wonderfulman.”
In August, Powell received the PGA Distinguished Service Award, theassociation’s highest annual honor. In November, he was inducted into theNorthern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame and honored as the Person of the Year by the OhioGolf Course Owners Association.
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce also recently presented the Powellfamily with its Community Salute Award.
“My father made a mark,” said daughter Renee Powell, the second blackplayer to compete on the LPGA Tour. “And, I believe that God wanted people toknow the mark that he made on this nation.”
The grandson of Alabama slaves, Powell created Clearview Golf Club afterreturning home following World War II. While serving in Europe, he earned therank of Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Eighth Air Force Truck Battalion.
Powell worked 18-hour days to support his family and build Clearview. Denieda GI Loan, he found funding from two African American physicians, and hisbrother took out a second mortgage on his home.
Powell went on to carve Clearview out of former dairy farmland in 1946,clearing the land himself. In the process, Powell broke down racial barrierswithout fanfare by developing female and youth golf leagues.
Clearview opened its initial nine holes in 1948. Powell eventually repaidhis benefactors to gain full ownership, and nine more holes were completed in1978. Clearview is on the National Register of Historic Places, and nicknamed“America’s Course.”
“I didn’t build this course for any of the recognition,” Powell said inhis 2000 autobiography, “Clearview: America’s Course.” “It was a labor oflove. Golf is a part of society and I wanted to be included. I want you to beincluded, too. I’ve always felt that each individual should leave somethingbehind of meaning. It feels good to know that I have done that with Clearview,at long last.”
In 1992, the Powells were honored by the National Golf Foundation as theJack Nicklaus Golf Family of the Year. That year, Powell was awarded the“Cornerstone of Freedom Award” from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.
Powell was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 1996, andbecame a PGA Life Member in 1999. Powell also received honorary Doctor of HumaneLetters degrees from his alma mater, Wilberforce University, and fromBaldwin-Wallace College.
Powell also played a role in The First Tee, which has distributed more than1,100 William J. Powell Scholarships that allow youngsters to attend The FirstTee Life Skills and Leadership Academies conducted on college campuses.
Powell was preceded in death by wife Marcella and son William. In additionto daughter Renee, he’s survived by son Larry, who has served for more than 30years as superintendent at Clearview Golf Club, and twin sisters Mary AliceWalker and Rose Marie Mathews. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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AT&T drops Tiger; What does it mean? (Yahoo! Sports)
December 31, 2009
AT&T dropped its endorsement deal with Tiger Woods on Thursday morning. So what does that mean for Tiger?
Well, it means that Accenture – which dropped him on Dec. 13 – now has company.
But it also means that there could be more spaces to fill than if another one of his other sponsors dropped him.
More on Tiger Woods from CNBC.com
Although the partnership was not as visible as most – Woods wasn’t even on AT&T’s Web site – it was quite comprehensive.
As part of its sponsorship deal, AT&T not only is a main sponsor of the Tiger Woods Foundation, but also has the title sponsorship of Tiger’s summer tournament and its logo on his golf bag.
There already have been suspicions that Woods’ charitable event – based in Las Vegas each year – will be at least postponed for the near future, though the foundation itself has denied that any decision has been made. AT&T was the main sponsor of that event, called Tiger Jam, but a company spokesman told CNBC that its sponsorship of Tiger Jam has expired.
Then comes his golf bag. It’s not likely that will be left blank, so Golf.com’s David Dusek has already predicted Nike will be willing to slap its logo there. That makes sense because it’s not expected that Woods would be willing to take any cheap new sponsor for the deal.
Finally, there’s the AT&T National, Tiger’s summer event. AT&T spokesman Michael Coe told CNBC that the sponsorship is still on for 2010. What will happen after that could be up in the air, but the telecommunications company currently has contractually committed to being a title sponsor of the event through 2014.
If there’s a natural next sponsor to go, it’s likely Chevron, which is in a similar situation in terms of having a less visible role with Woods, but a more active role with the foundation. It’s clear that the foundation, which has done a tremendous job in raising money over the last decade, won’t do as well in the near future.
The foundation is currently scheduled to announce on Jan. 15 what organizations will be awarded its next set of grants.
Questions? Comments? Email SportsBiz@cnbc.com. Or check out more Sports Biz with Darren Rovell.
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Tiger a control freak who loves to take risks
December 31, 2009
EDITOR’S NOTE—Doug Ferguson has been the AP golf writer since 1998 and hascovered 60 of Tiger Woods’ 82 victories around the world.
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
His rivals used to joke that if you cut Tiger Woods open, all you would findwere some wires and a few nuts and bolts.
Now they know better.
Tom Watson, who won five British Opens himself, watched Woods carve up St.Andrews nearly a decade ago and called him “supernatural.”
The last month proved otherwise.
As another PGA Tour season starts without Woods, one question stands out:
Did anyone really know him?
Recollections point to a player who craved control inside his world of golf,only to test his limits outside of it.
During a trip to New Zealand for his caddie’s wedding, Woods went bungeejumping off a cable car suspended 440 feet over a river valley. On the sametrip, he climbed behind the wheel of a race car and traded paint with thecompetition on a dirt track.
Woods spent a week at Fort Bragg going through Special Forces training withthe Marines and became a master scuba diver, capable of holding his breath forfour minutes at a time while exploring the ocean. It was one of his tales fromunder the sea that first gave his colleagues pause.
Woods was having lunch at Firestone Country Club in 2003, regaling DarrenClarke and Thomas Bjorn with stories about diving and spearfishing. He couldstay on the ocean floor even longer, Woods explained, when he used a regulator.But the scenery was so much better without one.
“You don’t want any bubbles because that scares the fish off,” he said.“The only problem is that when you don’t make any bubbles, the sharks comearound, too.”
Bjorn stiffened, raised a bushy eyebrow and said, “Just be careful downthere. Our future earnings depend on you.”
That story seems appropriate now, since Woods hasn’t surfaced in publicsince Nov. 27, when he ran his SUV over a fire hydrant and into a tree at about2:30 a.m., the opening chapter of an expose of his private life—a second life,really—that few imagined could exist.
He was never without flaws, displaying a nasty temper at times, a foul mouthon occasion, and routinely blowing by autograph seekers. Yet those sins wereforgiven soon enough, or at the very least forgotten, once Woods began conjuringmagic from his clubs. Maybe that’s why he rarely felt a need to apologize.
At his last tournament, the Australian Masters, Woods hit a poor drive onthe 13th at Kingston Heath, then flipped his driver to the ground and watched itbounce sideways into the gallery. The crowd turned into a mosh pit—albeit apolite one—passing the driver toward the front and back into Woods’ grip. Hetook it without explanation or embarrassment, quickly turned away and barelyacknowledged the episode after the round.
“That was my mistake,” was all Woods said.
Then there was the famous tirade on the 18th at Pebble Beach on Saturdaymorning at the 2000 U.S. Open. Wrapping up a second round delayed by fog, Woodshooked his tee shot into the ocean and followed it with a few curses picked upby a boom mike on the tee box—during cartoon hour, no less.
A year later, returning to Pebble Beach for the first time since thathistoric 15-shot victory, Woods reached the 18th tee during a practice round andtried to recall his choice of words. Finally, a reporter recounted them for him,adding, “At least that’s what my kids told me.”
The warm smile was replaced by a cold stare.
“I am who I am,” Woods said.
Tabloid-fueled reports have linked him to almost as many women as he hasmajor championships. One of those women kept a voicemail from Woods and gave itto a celebrity magazine. She said the affair began when Woods’ wife was sevenmonths pregnant with their first child. More sordid testimonials followed. In amatter of weeks, he went from being on top of the world to the butt of jokes onthe late-night talk-show circuit.
Even Disneyland got into the act. During the “Aladdin” show at the resort,a genie explains to Aladdin that he can’t make people fall in love with him.
“Only saying that to you once,” the genie adds. “I had to say it, like,15 times to Tiger Woods.”
But he was easy to fall for. Woods proposed to Elin Nordegren at a gamepreserve in South Africa, and married her in Barbados in 2004. Then along cametwo beautiful kids: first a daughter, Sam, and then son Charlie. When the family— dogs included—gathered for a tender family portrait not long after, Woodslooked like the man who had everything.
Will anyone ever look at him the same way again?
Much depends on what happens to the marriage, but the jokes likely won’t enduntil he returns to golf, and no one—perhaps not even Woods—knows when thatwill be. The Masters seems the most logical choice, because it’s both a majorand the game’s most buttoned-down event. Everything from how fans behave to howmany media members get inside the gates is tightly controlled.
But if Woods doesn’t show up in April, then when?
The U.S. Open returns to Pebble Beach in June, and Woods has won there. TheBritish Open returns to St. Andrews in July, and Woods has won there, too—twice, by a combined 13 shots. The Ryder Cup is set for October, but he’s neverbeen fond of team-oriented play.
Golf has always been an individual pursuit for Woods, so much so thatwhenever people question his Ryder Cup record (10-13-2), he responds with aquestion of his own: What was Jack Nicklaus’ record in the Ryder Cup? Anyone?Ah, but everyone knows Nicklaus won 18 professional majors. That’s all thatmatters to Woods.
Despite not winning a major in 2009, few observers would have bet againsthim catching Nicklaus, and soon. Someone who’s won 82 tournaments worldwide and14 majors before turning 34 doesn’t forget how to play, and Woods is entering asweet spot in his career, an age when most players are just coming into theirprime.
Yet he’s never played before fans who figure to be this hostile, and just asintriguing will be the reception from his fellow pros.
Anthony Kim, a promising young pro Woods has worked with, considered thequestion and said with a shrug: “Same guy to me.”
We’ll see. The PGA Tour gets under way Thursday, Jan. 7, with thewinners-only SBS Championship at Kapalua, Hawaii. Woods hasn’t played theresince 2005, so it’s not until he skips the San Diego Open, which starts Jan. 28,that his “leave” begins taking on significance. Then again, he’s grownaccustomed to setting his own rules.
Years ago, after the first wave of “Tigermania,” Woods worked out a dealwith the PGA Tour requiring him to appear for a pre-tournament interview at themedia center only where he was the defending champion. One year at Memorial, thetour erected a podium alongside the putting green to accommodate the media crushthat follows Woods everywhere, inconveniencing all the other pros nearby workingon their game. The media center was no more than 50 yards away. No one from thetour challenged Woods.
When CBS Sports placed a camera on the tee box at the same tournament toanalyze players’ swings, Woods had his caddie place the bag in front of it. Hewas working on his swing and preferred to do it without unsolicited advice.
He has been wary of the media for as long as he has been a pro, yet keenlyaware of what’s in the news. When he returned this year after missing eightmonths due to knee surgery, one of his first questions during a practice roundwas about the state of the newspaper industry.
Woods was discussing the departure of longtime Los Angeles Times’ golfwriter Tom Bonk, someone he’d known and liked for years, when he was asked, “Doyou read the newspaper?”
Woods started to laugh, then slyly said he reads whatever is left at hishotel room door on the road. Yes, he knows exactly what is written about him. Hetried to control that, too, delivering careful, clipped answers to questions,whether they’re posed by the local radio station or Time magazine.
Even his leisure outings seemed stage-managed at times, whether that wascourtside at an Orlando Magic NBA game or on the sidelines of a Miami DolphinsNFL game. The last such appearance was during halftime at the Stanford-Calfootball game, announcing Woods’ induction into Stanford’s athletics hall offame.
As Woods began speaking, he was interrupted by scattered boos from the Calsection. He appeared genuinely rattled, for a moment. And that was before allthose sordid stories began piling up, one after another—enough anyway, to makea person wonder how Woods will react when it comes time to make his return.
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AT&T is latest to end Tiger Woods sponsorship
December 31, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—AT&T Inc. said Thursday it would no longer sponsor TigerWoods, joining Accenture in dropping support for the world’s top golfer, who’staking a break from the sport to focus on his marriage after his admittedinfidelity.
The phone company hasn’t used Woods’ image extensively in advertising, butits logo appeared on his golf bag. That deal had been billed as a “multiyear”agreement when it was signed early in 2009, after Buick ended its endorsementone year early because of its financial woes.
Woods has also been the host of the AT&T National PGA Tour event since itstarted in 2007. Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said that since Woods is on indefiniteleave from professional golf, he will not serve as host for the 2010 event.However, his Tiger Woods Foundation will continue to be the beneficiary of theAT&T National, under a contract that runs through 2014, Votaw said.
AT&T said it would continue to sponsor the event.
Woods won the 2009 AT&T National in July at the Congressional Country Clubin Bethesda, Md. The AT&T National is moving to Aronimink Country Club outsidePhiladelphia the next two years as Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S.Open.
AT&T has also been the presenting sponsor of the annual Tiger Jam concertevent in Las Vegas, but that contract has expired, according to AT&T spokesmanMichael Coe.
AT&T, which is based in Dallas, did not comment on its reasons for droppingWoods, or how much the relationship was worth.
Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, had no comment on AT&T’s decision.
Woods’ image has taken a beating since a Thanksgiving holiday car accidentat the golfer’s Florida home was followed by an admission of extramarital“transgressions.” Most of Woods’ $100 million in annual earnings has come notfrom tournament winnings but from companies that wanted to be associated withhis persona.
Consulting firm Accenture dropped the athlete two weeks ago, saying he was“no longer the right representative” of the company’s values.
Gillette, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., also has said it won’t air adsfor its razors that include Woods or include him in public appearances.
Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer, a unit of luxury goods empire LVMH MoetHennessy Louis Vuitton, also said that it would “downscale” its use of golferTiger Woods’ image in its advertising campaigns for the foreseeable future.
Electronic Arts Inc., which puts out the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour” series ofgolf video games, has not said what its plans are for the franchise. The companydid not immediately return requests for comment Thursday. Nike Inc. and PepsiCoInc.’s Gatorade are other big sponsors that haven’t severed their ties.
Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed on Thursday that troopersmet with Woods on Dec. 1, four days after the accident outside his home, todeliver a $164 citation for careless driving. The meeting was earlier reportedby WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla.
In an e-mail to The Associated Press, FHP captain Mark Welch said Woods was“polite” and “only said, ‘Yes Sir.”’
“The only injury that troopers observed was a bump and cut on his lip,which was consistent with the crash investigation,” Welch said.
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson in Honolulu contributed to this report.
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