Favoritism at THE MASTERS

photo credit: linein   After shooting a blazing 65 and one of the greatest rounds in major championship history, Roberto De Vicenzo was disqualified from the 1968 Masters for signing an invalid scorecard.

Unlike De Vicenzo, Tiger Woods was not disqualified from this year’s Masters tournament even AFTER he ADMITTED giving himself an advantage when he made the drop on hole 15 of Augusta National G.C.  He DID sign an invalid scorecard.

The rules committee gave Woods a pass and allowed him to continue.  After receiving rebukes from many fellow Tour players Woods decided to ignore their pleas to disqualify himself from the tournament.

It’s very clear that the political disease that has permeated our country has now infiltrated the game of golf. According to their decision, the rules committee decided that maintaining the integrity of the game is far less important than corporate sponsorship or Television ratings, lets not forget that Tiger Woods is their “cash cow.”

If Tiger Woods cared about the game that brought him so much fame, should he have disqualified himself from The Masters?  I believe he should have.  The integrity of the game of golf suffered a real setback because of Woods’ decision to stay in the tournament.

The Dream is Over

photo credit: Wootang01   Tiger Woods owned the Bridgestone Invitational tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.  Woods won this event seven times. 

As of this writing, Woods is about to finish the tournament in the bottom ten percent.  Last year at this time, Woods was on top of the world and just his presence was enough to intimidate his fellow PGA competitors.

The scandal, the inquisitive press and the apologies are behind Woods but his game is in shambles.  Winners don’t regularly miss greens, fairways and putts which Woods is now doing.  

I stand by my earlier prediction:  Woods’ career is over, the dream is over, killed by an insatiable desire for self gratification.  Long live Jack Nicklaus!  Maybe Woods will prove me wrong.

The Woods Divorce “Deal”

photo credit: U-g-g-B-o-y-(-Photograph-World-Sense-)   Elin Nordegren will officially file for divorce within the next 7 days.  Nordegren will receive the largest payout ever seen in a celebrity divorce.  What Woods gets:  50 million estate on Jupiter Island and the 2 million apartment in Los Angeles.  There will be shared legal custody of the children, however, Woods is banned from having a single women around kids.

What Nordegren gets:  Half of their assets, the 3 million home in Windermere, Florida, properties in Sweden, sole physical custody of children and a lifetime ban on ever talking about the split.  Nordegren said she is “confident that he will not pursue seeing his children that much, due to his work and lifestyle.”

Woods is Whining

photo credit: Brian J. McDermott   Pebble Beach Golf Links was the scene of Tiger Woods’ greatest victory, the 2000 U.S. Open Championship where he defeated the field by 15 shots.  The Open is back for 2010. 

With a first round, three over-par 74, Woods had plenty to say.  In a post-round interview Woods said ”it was so bouncy out there,”  Woods said of the Pebble Beach’s poa annua greens, “it is what it is.  It’s poa in the afternoon and they’re fast.  The holes are much different and the bunkering is much different.  A few of the tees are totally different,” Woods said.

Woods was not the only player to play the course, he seemed to have forgotten that the entire field was playing on exactly the same course on that day.  True champions don’t whine after bad rounds.

Hank Leaves Tiger

photo credit: cliff1066™   After a period of six years Hank Haney is no long Tiger Woods’ golf coach.  In a Golf Channel interview, Haney admitted that it was “time to move on.”  He did not give any specific reason but did say it was a compilation of reasons.  When asked if the sex scandal had something to do with his decision, Haney said it was one of many reasons.

When asked whether he knew if Tiger Woods took performance enhancing drugs, Haney said that he was sure that Woods did not ever take them.  He also said that they came to a ”mutual understanding” and that he and Woods will always remain good friends.  ”If he ever wants me to help him in the future, I will,” Haney said.

Jim Nantz Blasts Woods

photo credit: Brian J. McDermott   What follows are Jim Nanz’s comments about Tiger Woods during a WFAN radio interview.  “If I said what he said on the air, I would be fired.  Have you ever heard Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus use that kind of language?  What are the parameters between what’s right or wrong?  Nanz said, “how about the father and son who are standing right there by the tee?  How about the hundreds of people who are around that tee to hear that?  How about the hundreds of letters  I’ve gotten through the years from people who have been outraged at the language they’ve heard there and have written me and said, ‘Why don’t you guys ever say something  about that?’ “

Tiger’s Latest “Hotty”

photo credit: Keith Allison   Raychel Coudriet, Tiger Woods’ 22 yr. old neighbor, admitted to allegedly having a one-night stand with the golfer in his private office.  The news arrived on the eve of the 2010 Masters Tournament which brings the number of his mistresses to 15, or was it 20?

Woods, at a recent news conference,  announced his “new beginning.”  A fan friendlier Tiger in the future but it didn’t pan out that way.  Tiger could have played in the par 3 tourney on Wed. but chose not to.  He did sign just a few autographs, however.  Oh yes, Nike came out with a new commercial with a forlorn looking Tiger.  Looks like the old “control freak” is at it again folks !  Is Tiger Woods that hard to see through?

Oscar Winning Performance

photo credit: prateekb   Tiger Woods will make his return to the game at this year’s Masters.  He’s given only a couple of well orchestrated 5 minute interviews in which he chose the subject matter.  During one of the interviews he went so far as to stop the process entirely when he became uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

The Golf Channel is now bustling with ”Tiger talk” and video clips of his fist pumps.  Tiger’s well planned campaign to make himself the victim, instead of the perpetrator seems to be working flawlessly.  His desire to worm his way back into the arms of society has a superficial feel to it.  It’s hard to understand why everyone can’t seem to just wake up to one of the most famous con artists in the world of sports.

The Lonesome Golf Channel

photo credit: eschipul   What is the Golf Channel going to do now that their “dream boy,” is in self imposed exile.  They have become so dependent on Tiger Woods that they are like a ship lost at sea, trying to figure out how to make up for Tiger’s absence.  Think about it, before the wreckage of Tiger’s SUV and his marriage, you couldn’t watch the Golf Channel for 5 minutes without seeing a clip of Woods in one of his patented fist pumps?

Woods’ absence should turn out to be good for the Golf Channel and it’s viewers.  It will teach everyone not to put all the eggs in one basket.  To be skeptical of a golfer that won’t acknowledge his fans.  Maybe now we can appreciate the rest of the field.

Tiger’s Apology?

photo credit: dareppi   What do you think, was Tiger’s apology a performance or was it sincerely from the heart? 

I say it was an orchestrated attempt to restore his image.  What purpose did it really serve, I ask?  Tiger is no dummy, he knows there’s millions of dollars riding on whether he is allowed to continue playing golf.  Will the fans that he so willingly betrayed, take him back in their favor?

His robot-like performance and stone cold lack of facial expressions made me realize that he was simply giving another con-job.  Once again, it was all about him.  Oh yes, he said he was sorry but what was he really saying?  I believe his career is over.  He’s let too many people down and now he has to pay the price.  Sad but true.

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