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Sponsors get needed boost from Woods' return

March 16, 2010 4:19 PM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

Tiger Woods' return to the golf course is a long-awaited boon to sponsors that stood by him and marketers who stand to get big exposure from the big Masters audience.

Woods dropped out of the golf world last December after revelations of his infidelities made him a mainstay of lurid headlines and left his value as an advertiser in shambles. Several of his sponsors, including accounting firm Accenture and telecommunications company AT&T, dropped him. But companies that banked more directly on his athletic prowess, such as Nike Inc. and Electronic Arts, stuck by him.

The payoff could be coming.
Get the full story: Sponsors get needed boost from Woods' return.
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Woods installed as 4-1 favorite to win Masters

March 16, 2010 2:26 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Despite not competing since his car crash in November, Tiger Woods is still the favorite to win the Masters.

Barely an hour after the announcement Tuesday that Woods will make his return at Augusta National next month, the British bookmaker William Hill installed him the 4-1 favorite. Phil Mickelson is second at 6-1, followed by Padraig Harrington at 16-1.

Hill also lists Woods as 1-20 to make the cut at the Masters. He is 25-1 to win all four majors this year.
Get the full story: Woods installed as 4-1 favorite to win Masters.
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Haugh: Don't bet against Tiger winning Masters

March 16, 2010 12:44 PM | 2 Comments
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Tiger Woods should feel right at home when he makes his comeback next month at Augusta National. (Chris O'Meara/AP)

By David Haugh

In the Wake of the News

Go ahead, take the field.

I'll take Tiger.

I don't care if the Masters will be Tiger Woods' first tournament of 2010 and he will have more rust than a '97 Taurus.

I don't care if Woods may hear more jokes about his sex life during a practice round at Augusta than Howard Stern tells during his radio show.

We're talking about maybe the most maniacally focused athlete of the post-Jordan era of sports. Never will he be more motivated to succeed in golf than after so many Americans mocked his failures in life. I'll take a rusty Tiger trying to prove the world wrong over, well, just about anybody from Phil Mickelson to Padraig Harrington.

Get the full story: Haugh: Don't bet against Tiger winning Masters.
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Jolly good: Brits applaud Tiger's return to golf

March 16, 2010 12:04 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

LONDON -- The Royal & Ancient is glad that Tiger Woods will make his return to golf at the Masters, and the governing body of the sport outside the United States hopes he'll play at the British Open in July.

"We're pleased to hear that Tiger is to return to golf," R&A spokesman Malcolm Booth said Tuesday. "Golf needs the world No. 1 to be playing."

Woods has not yet entered to play at the British Open at St. Andrews, but has until May 27 to send in his entry form. Booth said it's "normal that he hasn't" entered yet.
Get the full story: Jolly good: Brits applaud Tiger's return to golf.
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Tiger Woods will return to golf at the Masters

March 16, 2010 11:12 AM | 78 Comments
tigersmile.JPGBy Jeff Shain

Tiger Woods will return to competition on perhaps the biggest stage in golf -- the Masters.

The humbled golfer, whose winter of discontent included revelations of multiple affairs and subsequent therapy, ended weeks of speculation this morning with a five-paragraph statement sent to media outlets.

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect," Woods began. "After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.

"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played."

Perhaps an hour earlier, Arnold Palmer had confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel that Woods would not defend his title at his namesake tournament next week at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

Palmer said he had spoken with Woods in recent days, and that they ended the conversation with "See you in Augusta."

Photo: Tiger Woods will make his long-awaited return to golf at the Masters. (Getty)
Get the full story: Tiger Woods will return to golf at the Masters.
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Tiger Woods' statement on return to Masters

March 16, 2010 10:45 AM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Tiger Woods issued a statement Tuesday to announce he will begin his 2010 season at the Masters.

Here's the full text of his statement:

"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.
Get the full story: Tiger Woods' statement on return to Masters.
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Masters to become TV's first 3-D sports event

March 15, 2010 2:41 PM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

The Masters will be broadcast in 3-D -- although few Americans own the technology to take advantage.

Augusta National announced Monday that next month's tournament can be viewed on 3-D-capable television sets and computers. It will be the first 3-D sports event on TV in the United States; previous experiments used movie theaters.

Few Americans currently own the capable sets, but networks believe 3-D could be the next big thing and are starting to offer programming.
Get the full story: Masters to become TV's first 3-D sports event.
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Finchem: No word on Tiger Woods' return

March 15, 2010 2:04 PM | 1 Comment
By Teddy Greenstein

Like seemingly everyone else in the world, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem says he does not know when Tiger Woods will return to the PGA Tour.

"We have the general information that Tiger is preparing to play," Finchem said Monday during a teleconference with reporters. "Tiger has indicated to us that he'll give us reasonable notice because we know we have some preparation to do. But I don't have the specific date when he is going to come back. I can only assume, though, that all this speculation about late March and early April, if he is going to start back then, we will know soon. Beyond that, I can't help you."

Asked how much warning he expects Woods to give the Tour, Finchem replied: "I'm not going to get into that. As soon as he tells us, you'll know."
Get the full story: Finchem: No word on Tiger Woods' return.
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Report: Tiger Woods took pain pills before crash

March 12, 2010 3:00 PM | 1 Comment
By Rene Stutzman

While waiting for an ambulance to take her unconscious husband to the hospital after he crashed his SUV, Tiger Woods' wife handed officers two bottles of pain medicine that she said he had taken earlier in the day, according to investigative records released Friday to the Orlando Sentinel.

She also tried to ride in the ambulance to the hospital with her husband, but the crew wouldn't let her, saying this was a case of domestic violence, the Florida Highway Patrol records show.

Those details and others were released Friday by the agency, following a Dec. 16 public records request by the Orlando Sentinel.
Get the full story: Report: Tiger Woods took pain pills before crash.
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Report: Woods' return likely to come at Masters

March 11, 2010 5:21 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Tiger Woods intends to remain out of golf at least until the Masters, two people with knowledge of his plans have told The Associated Press.

Woods has been practicing at Isleworth near his Orlando home the last two weeks, and swing coach Hank Haney flew there during the weekend to work with him. That led to speculation Thursday he was close to playing again.

The two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because only Woods is supposed to release such information, say he is likely to play first at Augusta National in April.
Get the full story: Report: Woods' return likely to come at Masters.
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E-mails ripped Florida patrol after Woods crash

March 11, 2010 8:12 AM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

The Florida Highway Patrol was flooded with e-mails criticizing their handling of the investigation of the crash involving golfer Tiger Woods that led to him admitting to extramarital affairs.

A review by the Orlando Sentinel found that the highway patrol and its umbrella agency, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, got more than 400 e-mails in the days after the November crash outside Woods' home near Orlando.

What upset them the most? That day after day, Woods' wife, agent or lawyer turned away troopers who wanted to question the golfer about what happened and to gather evidence about whether Woods was driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs.

Wrote one man from Canada, "I have to ask, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING. The FHP in this incident is being bullied, and mocked by Tiger Woods. ... Shame on You FHP and get back to business."
Get the full story: E-mails ripped Florida patrol after Woods crash.
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Woods' jokes nixed from Oscars by producers

March 7, 2010 6:19 PM

The NY Post reports: Hey Tiger Woods, you can watch the Oscars tonight! The Academy Awards bosses have deleted a series of rude Woods jokes from the script.

A well-placed source tells us writers penned cracks about the golfer's cheating scandal for hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin to deliver. But the lines have been nixed by producers.

The source said, "Some of the Tiger jokes were deemed too rude."

Get the full story at nypost.com.

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Tiger Woods won't make comeback at Doral

March 5, 2010 4:26 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

The waiting for Tiger Woods' return to competitive golf continues.

As expected, Woods did not enter the field for next week's CA Championship at Doral, marking the first time he'll miss that World Golf Championship event. Players had until 5 p.m. Friday to commit to that event.

In all, 64 players will be at Doral, including Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson, the two players immediately behind Woods in the world ranking.

Woods resumed practicing about a week ago but has not said when he'll play again. He has won on Doral's Blue Monster three times in his career.
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Golf writers seek disciplinary action against Daly

March 4, 2010 12:01 PM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

The Golf Writers Association of America has asked the PGA Tour to discipline John Daly for his actions against a Florida Times-Union reporter.

Daly, angry at a story in the Times-Union on Tuesday that revealed some of the contents of his nearly 500-page PGA Tour file, asked his fans on Twitter to call and criticize the writer of the story. Late Tuesday night, Daly posted the cell phone number of the Times-Union's Garry Smits on two of his three Twitter posts, writing in one of them, "here's the JERK who writes NON-NEWS article ... CALL & FLOOD his line & let's tell him how we feel." Smits said he received nearly 100 calls.
Get the full story: Golf writers seek disciplinary action against Daly.
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Woods' caddie says he's angry with golfer

March 3, 2010 7:56 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Tiger Woods' caddie said he knew nothing about the golfer's extramarital affairs and was angry with him over the scandal.

Steve Williams told TV3's "60 Minutes" program Wednesday that he also is bitter at the reaction toward him from the media and members of the public.

"It's been the most difficult time of my life, no two ways about it, because every single person believed that I should know or did know or had something to do with it," Williams said. "I knew nothing, that's my answer. I don't have to clarify or extend that answer, I knew nothing."

Get the full story: Woods' caddie says he's angry with golfer.
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Nicklaus 'can't imagine' Tiger missing Masters

March 3, 2010 5:11 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Jack Nicklaus thinks Tiger Woods will play in next month's Masters.

Speaking after finishing a pro-mm round at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on Wednesday, Nicklaus said that "it would surprise me if he didn't" when asked if he thought Woods would play the Masters.

Nicklaus added, "I can't imagine in 100 years he's going to miss" the Masters.

Nicklaus quickly pointed out that he doesn't know anything regarding what Woods' plans might be. He has been reluctant to say much about the Woods saga since revelations of infidelity came out late last year.
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Angry Daly tweets sportswriter's phone number

March 3, 2010 10:18 AM | 4 Comments
Tribune News Services

John Daly was so irritated that a Florida newspaper wrote about his PGA Tour disciplinary file that he referred to the writer as a "jerk" on Twitter and posted the writer's cell phone number for his followers to call.

The Florida Times-Union reported Tuesday that the file is now public record through Daly's unsuccessful libel lawsuit against the newspaper. The file is 456 pages and notes that Daly has been suspended five times and cited 21 times for not giving his best effort.

"here's the JERK who writes NON-NEWS article on debut of my show - CALL & FLOOD his line & let's tell him how WE feel," Daly said on Twitter, adding the cell phone number of golf writer Garry Smits.
Get the full story: Angry Daly tweets sportswriter's phone number.
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Poll: Tiger apology sincere, but popularity sinking

March 3, 2010 7:45 AM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Tiger Woods' televised apology convinced more than half of Americans that he was sincere, but his popularity has nose-dived in the wake of his admitted extramarital affairs.

An ABC News/ESPN poll conducted Feb. 25-28 revealed that 54 percent of more than 1,000 respondents thought Woods was truly sorry during his speech, with 22 percent unconvinced and 24 percent having no opinion.

Woods was viewed favorably by only 39 percent, a huge drop in his approval rating from 2005 (85 percent).
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Daly's file reveals numerous transgressions

March 2, 2010 12:00 PM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

John Daly has been suspended five times and cited 21 times for not giving his best effort, according to a 456-page rap sheet kept by the PGA Tour that is now public record because of libel lawsuit Daly failed to win.

The Florida Times-Union reported Tuesday on Daly's disciplinary file, which the tour had to give Morris Publishing Co. during Daly's libel lawsuit against a columnist who once worked for the newspaper. The Times-Union is part of the Morris group; the lawsuit was dismissed in March 29.

The disciplinary file grew to 456 pages over 18 years of Daly's career, starting in April 1991 when the tour said Daly cursed a playing partner and ending in the fall of 2008, when Daly was suspended for six months.
Get the full story: Daly's file reveals numerous transgressions.
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Source: Tiger Woods back home from therapy

March 2, 2010 10:50 AM | 3 Comments
Tribune News Services

Tiger Woods is closer to competing again.

Woods is back home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and is trying to get back into a routine that includes fitness and his first significant practice in 15 weeks, a person with knowledge of his schedule said Tuesday.

Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he ran his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree in a middle-of-the-night accident on Nov. 27 that set off shocking revelations of infidelity.
Get the full story: Source: Tiger Woods back home from therapy.
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Cancer claims longtime caddie for Strange, Daly

March 1, 2010 12:10 PM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

Greg Rita, the caddie for Curtis Strange when he won successive U.S. Open titles and for John Daly when he won the British Open, has died of brain cancer.

Rita's wife, Kelley, said he died Saturday on his 54th birthday in Jacksonville, Fla.

Rita caddied over four decades on the PGA Tour for players that included Gil Morgan, Scott Hoch, David Duval and Mark O'Meara.
Get the full story: Cancer claims longtime caddie for Strange, Daly.
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Gatorade latest sponsor to dump Tiger Woods

February 26, 2010 4:23 PM | 6 Comments
Tribune News Services

Gatorade became the latest sponsor to drop Tiger Woods on Friday.

A representative for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed it ended its relationship with the golfer, who made a lengthy public apology a week ago for his infidelities.

"We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship," a Gatorade spokeswoman said. "We wish him all the best."
Get the full story: Gatorade latest sponsor to dump Tiger Woods.
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Nike OK with Woods taking break from golf

February 25, 2010 11:56 AM | No Comments
newtiger-headdown-ap.JPGTribune News Services

Nike is happy for Tiger Woods to stay away from golf for as long as he needs to sort out his private life.

The U.S. sports outfitter's $650 million golf sector has been one of the hardest-hit segments of its business, but brand president Charlie Denson said Thursday he does not want to see Woods back in action until he's ready.

Nike, Inc., based in Beaverton, Oregon is a long-term sponsor of Woods and is standing by the top-ranked golfer despite the damage done to his image by the infidelities he publicly apologized for last week.

"We've been very supportive of Tiger since the story broke and we continue to be supportive," Denson told The Associated Press. "He's got issues he needs to deal with and he's dealing with them. We are looking forward to him getting back on the golf course.

Photo: Tiger Woods says he hasn't ruled out returning to golf this year. (AP)
Get the full story: Nike OK with Woods taking break from golf.
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Daly's prediction: Woods will play the Masters

February 24, 2010 9:20 AM | 4 Comments
By Teddy Greenstein

John Daly doesn't claim to have inside information. But he believes, despite what Tiger Woods indicated last week, that the world's No. 1 golfer will return to play the Masters in April.

"I honestly think he's not going to miss the Masters," Daly told the Tribune in a telephone interview to promote his new reality series on the Golf Channel called, "Being John Daly." "That place is too special to him. He won his first major there and he hugged his dad there."

Daly said he thinks it would be good for Woods to return to the PGA Tour as soon as possible.
Get the full story: Daly's prediction: Woods will play the Masters.
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Report: Woods apologizes to school parents

February 23, 2010 1:07 PM | No Comments
tigerelinkid.JPGTribune News Services

Tiger Woods has offered another apology, this time to parents of children at the preschool that his 2-year-old daughter attends, an Orlando television station reported Tuesday.

WFTV reported on its Web site that it has obtained a letter that Woods and his wife, Elin, wrote to parents of children attending Premier Academy to apologize for increased media scrutiny around the school.

"We hope that the paparazzi will find something better to do with their time in the near future," the letter said.

Photo: Tiger Woods, with daughter Sam and wife Elin. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
Get the full story: Report: Woods apologizes to school parents.
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Tiger Woods not making the cut with Gillette

February 23, 2010 11:23 AM | No Comments
Tribune News Services

The CEO of the Procter & Gamble Co. says he doesn't know whether Tiger Woods will ever appear in another Gillette commercial.

Bob McDonald says P&G wishes Woods the best in his efforts to work on family issues, after Woods' public apology for infidelity last Friday.

"He doesn't need to be distracted by us using his advertising, and we don't need the distraction of us using the advertising, either," McDonald told The Associated Press.
Get the full story: Tiger Woods not making the cut with Gillette.
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Roger Federer: Worst is over for Tiger Woods

February 22, 2010 8:15 AM | 1 Comment
Tribune News Services

Roger Federer believes the worst is over for his "good friend" Tiger Woods and hopes to see him back on the golf course.

"Tiger is a good friend of mine," Federer told the English language daily The Gulf News in the United Arab Emirates on Monday. "What's happened to him has been hard to watch over the last three months, right down to when he made his apology. I am sure he's headed in a better direction now. The worst has passed."
Get the full story: Roger Federer: Worst is over for Tiger Woods.
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Finchem: I should have briefed golfers on Tiger

February 21, 2010 3:15 PM | No Comments
finchemtiger.jpg

Tribune News Services

MARANA, Arizona -- PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem took the blame Sunday for not alerting his players about why Tiger Woods chose to make his first public appearance during the Match Play Championship.

Players had to field several questions about Woods upon finishing their matches in the opening round Wednesday, when it was announced that Woods was to speak publicly Friday for the first time since the Nov. 27 car accident that revealed rampant affairs.

"In hindsight, we should have pushed the thing along in a way to got the players briefed before they went into their Wednesday matches, some so they're not coming out of a match and getting hit with all these Tiger questions," Finchem said. "We just screwed up on that. That's just a screw-up on my part.

Photo: Tiger Woods greets PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem. (Eric Gay-Pool/ Getty Images)

Get the full story: Finchem: I should have briefed golfers on Tiger.
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Tiger's sponsorship deals: Who stay, who left?

February 19, 2010 8:27 PM | No Comments
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Tiger's mom: Tabloid media 'hurt my son bad'

February 19, 2010 6:20 PM | No Comments
tigermom2.JPGTribune News Services

Tiger Woods' mother sat in the front row, arms folded across her black sweater, eyes fixed on her world-famous son as he apologized again for letting so many people down with his infidelity.

Kultida Woods usually is seen, not heard.

She is the Thai woman with the wide-brimmed visor, leaning on a portable seat just beyond the ropes, now only at the Masters and his Chevron World Challenge. With rare exception, she does not give interviews.

Friday was different.
Get the full story: Tiger's mom: Tabloid media 'hurt my son bad'.
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