Nike's Tiger Ad

I don’t know if saw Nike’s new commercial welcoming Tiger Woods back to competitive golf, but it’s kind of creepy, not to mention inappropriate. The commercial shows a somber Tiger listening the voice of his late father, Earl, asking him “I want to find out what you’re thinking was, I want to find out what your feelings are, and did you learn anything,” statements that originally must have been related to an experience on the golf course. But in the context of Tiger’s admitted infidelity, they take on a much different meaning. Equally troubling is that Nike would use the old man whose had left his wife and children to marry Tiger’s mother. At least Nike didn’t close the commercial with their famous tag line, “Just Do It.”

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Bobby Wadkins.

Tiger Speaks, Sort Of

I hope Tom Rinaldi and ESPN don’t break their arms patting themselves on their backs for the exclusive “interview” with Tiger Woods tonight. That wasn’t much of an interview – five minutes – and you almost could hear the clock ticking. The “interview” was so brief that the participants did it standing up. It was nicely staged by Tiger’s public relations consultant Ari Fleischer who was President George W. Bush’s spinmeister in the White House. (Woods later said he not long employs Fleischer.) Rinaldi’s questions were lame but not as lame as Tiger’s answers. He was nicely rehearsed, falling back on family privilege, getting treatment, losing his core values, blah, blah, blah. The only good line was when he noted that “everything came to a head.” Gee, that really was the heart of the problem. Who knew the world’s best golfer was a sex addict? So Tiger will stroll among the friendly confines of Augusta National in a couple weeks, but he’s kidding himself if he thinks the questions will stop. Golf fans can move on from the sordid details of his extramarital affairs. Now it’s time to judge his conduct, which has been unbecoming, on the golf course.

Woods also gave a brief interview to Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel, who was suspended when she suggested that other players might want to lynch Woods because he was winning too many tournaments. Let bygones be bygones, I guess, at least when it comes to manipulating the media. Woods came off a bit more human in Golf Channel interview saying his actions were "horrific" and that he was disgusted with himself.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Tom Wargo.

Tiger Apologizes

So Tiger Woods finally appeared and public and apologized for his behavior that may cost him his marriage and caused several sponsors to rethink their use of him as pitchman for his products. "I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," Woods said in a carefully controlled appearance at the PGA Tour’s clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.. PGA Tour Commission Tim Finchem was in the audience along with several dozen friends and supporters. Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s wife, was not at the event. "What I did was not acceptable." Woods said he plans to return to golf. "I just don't know when that day will be,” he said. “I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game." Woods allowed only a handful of reporters to attend and did not take questions. Kudos to my brethren in the Golf Writers Association of America for boycotting the non-news news conference. They understood that their presence would be to serve as props for Woods. He reportedly returned to an unnamed clinic where he is being treated for an addiction to sex. Forget about the sex and the bimbos. The real test to see if Tiger has learned anything and changed as a result of all this will be how he behaves when he does return to golf. Will he be humbled? Will he be kinder to the fans? Will the swearing and club throwing stop? Will he rein in his renegade caddie Stevie Williams? That’s the change I will be looking for.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Tommy Tolles.

Goydos Gags at Pebble Beach

Tour pros hate the word “choke” because it conveys weakness. But if the word fits, use it. I’m talking about Paul Goydos who threw away a chance to win the AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday. (Perhaps it's time to undo the top button on your golf shirt, Paul.) Goydos had a one shot lead over eventual winner Dustin Johnson as they stood in the 14th fairway and watched Bryce Molder make a quadruple bogey nine up on the green. Goydos told Johnson that Molder had put his third shot in the worst place to be on the hole, short and left of the green. Guess where Goydos his ball? Bingo. His fourth shot wedge rolled off the back of the green. Just like Molder before him, his next shot failed to make it on and rolled back to his feet. He hit the next one and three-putted for his nine. He finished with a 78, four shots behind Johnson and a T-5 finish. Just last week, Ryder Cup captain Cory Pavin selected Goydos to one of his assistants for the matches this fall. Wonder if he will be giving mental advice.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Wayne Levi.

Daly Unretires

John Daly's retirement lasted about as long as one of Mickey Rooney's marriages. But after posting rounds of 69-73-72 for a totalof 214 to miss the cut by three shots at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, perhaps Daly should retire again. He is quickly becoming the Brett Favre of professional golf.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Carlos Franco.

Stricker New No. 2

Congrats to fellow cheesehead Steve Stricker on his victory at the Northern Trust Open. It was nice redemption from last year when he had the tournament in his grasp down the stretch but couldn’t close the deal. The win propels him to No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings and he remains the No. 1 PGA Tour Nice Guy. He’s off to another great season.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Tom Scherrer.

Mickelson Feels Slandered

Poor Phil Mickelson. Now he’s complaining about being “publicly slandered” by fellow pros who called him a “cheater” for using an approved, but nonconforming 20-year-old Ping Eye 2 wedge with square grooves. Hello, Phil. You could have avoided the whole mess by not playing with the club. Some people thing Phil is just making a point to poke his finger in the eyes of the PGA Tour and the USGA because a newly designed Callaway wedge was ruled nonconforming. Whatever. The only thing Phil has gotten right in this whole controversy is the need for PGA Tour Commission Tim Finchem to sort it out, which he may do when he meets with players in Los Angeles next week. Let’s see if Mickelson, the face of the PGA Tour now that tiger Woods is in self-imposed exile, has the guts to sue McCarron, a member of the Tour’s Players Advisory Council. By the way, wasn’t that nice of CBS broadcasters Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo to take Phil’s side and criticize Scott McCarron for being “over the top” on his comments about Mickelson? Wonder why they might be in the tank for the PGA Tour?

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Paul Stankowski.