What Question Would You Ask Woods?

Q. If you could ask Tiger Woods one question, what would it be?

A. I’d ask him what happened on Thanksgiving Day and into the next morning when he had the accident. Until he addresses that, if ever he does, there will be speculation about all kinds of things. If Woods wants the speculation to stop, there’s only one way to do it. Answer that question.

Q. Woods is being treated for addictive behavior. First, it was reported to be for sex addiction. Now we’re hearing the treatment is for addiction to sleeping pills and painkillers. Thoughts?

A. I believe the statement he made was one of the 12 steps to recovery for addicts who are being treated. I’m not an expert on the subject but those who are tell me that the apologies he made in the statement were consistent with somebody in a 12-step program.

Q. Where does Woods’ return to Buddhism fit into the 12 steps?

A. Step No. 2, as I read it, is the “decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God.” His understanding of God is Buddhism. Continue Reading…

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Burning Questions: A Touch of Class from Yang

CHASKA, Minn. – Burning questions at the 91^st PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club where Y.E. Yang stunned the golf world:

Q. How did Yang do it – defeat Tiger Woods – when nobody else has been able to?

A. I think it has much to do with expectations. Nobody figured on Yang having the game or the fortitude to get it done. There wasn’t the pressure on him that there has been some others – like Sergio Garcia, for instance.

Q. Yang appeared unfazed. Wasn’t he intimidated by the pairing with Woods? Continue Reading…

Skinned

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Burning questions about the demise of The Skins Game:

Q. The folks who organize and run The Skins Game Friday canceled this year’s event. Why?

A. There are two major factors. The economy, certainly, is the first. The second is a precipitous decline in the caliber of the fields being assembled which means it simply isn’t a very popular or watchable event anymore.

The Skins Game became a staple of television golf for two decades beginning with its debut in 1983 when Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson teed it up for big money.

There is no question it had lost its luster in recent years with less-than-stellar fields. Stephen Ames, hardly a household name, won two straight in 2006 and 2007 before giving way to K.J. Choi last year. Phil Mickelson and Rocco Mediate rounded out the field. Continue Reading…

Burning Question: Sink or Swim at the 17th?

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Burning questions at The Players Championship:

Q. Is the 17^th hole at the TPC of Sawgrass Stadium Course – with its famous island green – a goofy hole or a great hole?

A. It’s a little of both. I’m not one who favors gimmicks in golf course design and the island green certainly is one of Pete Dye’s most notable gimmicks.

It’s also pretty cool.

Q. That’s not much of answer. Tell us what you really think. Continue Reading…

Tiger on Route 70 again

Tiger's favorite highway - Magnolia Lane.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Burning Questions:

Q. Tiger Woods made bogey on the final hole Thursday in the opening round of the Masters. What is the significance of that?

A. Huge. Woods needed a par 4 at the 18^th to shoot 69. He has never broken 70 in the opening round at Augusta National Golf Club.

Q. So he messed up, right?

A. Depends on viewpoint and whether he’s superstitious.

Q. What does that mean?

A. It is the fourth time Woods has opened with a 70 in the Masters. On each of the three previous occasions – 1997, 2001 and 2002 – he went on to win the Green Jacket. That can’t possibly be a good omen for the field.

And it definitely is an omen.

“Yeah, that’s how I won it four times,” Woods said.

Woods is 5 shots behind the leader, Chad Campbell.

Q. Hasn’t Campbell led the Masters before?

A. Yes, at the midway point in 2006 before he finished T3 behind Phil Mickelson.

Campbell also was runner-up at the 2003 PGA Championship. That’s the one at Oak Hill where Shaun Micheel nearly holed a 7-iron from the fairway for a kick-in birdie on the 72^nd hole to beat Campbell.

Q. Was Augusta National set up too easy?

A. The weather conditions were perfect. That helped to promote the red numbers. I’m sure you already know this but this golf course will not play easier than it did Thursday. The pins will get tougher and tougher. There is some rain in the forecast Friday so that will soften the greens. I think this golf course will be brutally difficult by Sunday.

“The tees were up,” Woods said. “There’s no doubt. Pins were probably a yard easier than they normally are. But overall when you get warm conditions like this, the ball is flying, the guys can get it down there. The greens are fast but they’re soft so you can go ahead and be somewhat aggressive.”

A Letter from Seve

AUGUSTA, Ga. -

Q. Anything special happen at the traditional past champions dinner Tuesday night?

 A. There was a poignant moment when Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal read a letter from countryman Seve Ballesteros.

“It was very emotional, very loving and as (the letter) was read, you could feel in the air the reciprocation from (Seve’s) friends and former champions,” said Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne. “It was an amazing, amazing moment.”

Ballesteros, Masters champion in 1980 and 1983, is home in Spain recovering from multiple surgeries and treatment for a brain tumor.

Q. What makes the Masters such a special sporting event?

A. Everything about it. Consider this: Augusta National makes available free parking for the patrons. What other event does that?

About 4,500 parking spaces have been added near the course.

“With these additions and others planned for the short term, we look forward to the achievement of our goal to be one of the few, if not the only, major sporting event in the world that can offer free parking to all of our patrons,” Payne said.

That philosophy of offering fair prices is consistent throughout the tournament, from concession stands to the merchandise building.

Q. Is that because Augusta National is immune to the economic downturn?

A. No question, it is but that’s not the reason. It’s about a philosophy that focuses on the game of golf and those who cherish it. Nobody feels cheated at Augusta National, and that’s another of the things that makes it special.

Payne acknowledged that the economic climate “has not yet affected the club.

“I think we, as would all events, or endeavors, for that matter, if it is prolonged for multiple additional years, we would, of course, expect to be impacted,” he said.

“But based on our conservative planning that’s gone on now for several decades, we expect to be here every year and do it at the same level that we have been able to do it for prior years.”

 Q. Let’s switch gears to the competitive side of the Masters. Few who watched Tiger Woods line up the winning putt at Bay Hill two weeks ago thought he would miss that putt because we’ve seen him make so many in the clutch. How much of that putt was skill – and how much of it was will?

A. Good question and one that Woods was asked. Here’s his answer – it’s better than mine.

“I don’t know,” Woods said. “I don’t know if I have telekinesis, but it sure would be nice, some of the shots I’ve hit before, to keep them from going into the water, but that hasn’t happened.

“I think it’s just the moment. Your concentration, your energy, everything comes down to one moment. It’s been a crescendo. For our sport, it takes four days to get to that moment. For some reason, putts have gone in.

“Certainly, I have missed putts when I’ve had the chance to win a tournament or force a playoff. But I’ve also made my share, as well.”

In a deep freeze

Wool cap & hot coffee for Anthony Kim

Q. How cold is it at Augusta National Golf Club today?

A. Frigid. As cold as I ever remember down here in April. Heavy sweaters, jackets and wool caps are the order of the day.

“This looks more like a British Open press conference than a Masters press conference,” Tiger Woods said.

But the forecast is improving and we should have some very nice weather for the most part the rest of the week.

Q. Are you going to talk weather or golf?

Continue Reading…

A Green Jacket for Harrington?

Woods and Robert Allenby share a laugh in the short game practice area

He is the Player of the Year. He won the last two majors in 2008 – the British Open and the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.

He’s going for a third straight major victory this week at Augusta National Golf Club. Is anybody noticing Padraig Harrington? Not as many people as you might think.

That’s life in the Tiger Woods era. If you’re not Woods, the spotlight is usually aiming in another direction.

But if you think for a moment that Harrington isn’t a solid contender this week in the Masters, think again. Continue Reading…

Tiger: When will he win?

Q. Is Tiger Woods ready to win at Bay Hill?

A. Golf History 101: Woods is always ready to win. There’s never a time when he doesn’t think he’s ready or doesn’t think he will win.

The more pertinent question is: Will he win?

He has won Arnold Palmer’s event at Bay Hill five times, including last year with that dramatic winning putt on the 72^nd hole. Bay Hill, like Augusta National Golf Club, is one of the places on the PGA Tour that fits Woods perfectly.

I bet you picked up on the fact that Woods’ next two tournament appearances are at Bay Hill and, in two weeks, the Masters at Augusta National, where he has won four times.

Continue Reading…