Tiger’s Latest Tantrum Triggered By Cell Phones & Cameras
Tiger Woods blames his less-than-stellar performance at the HSBC Champions tourney in Shanghai last weekend on the fans and their inconsiderate cell phone and camera usage, leading to a strict ban on the items at this week’s Australian Masters. Tournament director Marcus Gale said, We’re certainly not China. We’ll have an educated crowd as far as golf goes for the main part,” and some reports indicate that electronic signal dampeners will be used to render any smuggled electronics useless.
The Australian Masters marks Tiger’s first return to Oz in 11 years, and Aussie fans are in a frenzy to see him now while they can. All 25,000 tickets were sold out soon after going on sale, and quite a bit of golf media attention is focusing on Melbourne this week. But certainly more than a few eyes will be noting how Tiger behaves against what’s sure to be another super-sized crowd following him around all week. As my Rock Heads know, Tiger’s temper can be a divisive issue!
-Scratch
PS: I don’t think anyone can blame Tiger for getting frustrated by camera clicks and flashes during a tee shot. Do you agree with me that the organizers of the HSBC Champions tourney were ultimately at fault here?
Some of Tiger’s outburst I can’t condone, but he is 100% justified here. He should try playing golf with me and my friends. Beer can’s opening in your back swing, people yelling “Get in the water, get in the water,” on your tee shots!
***Response From Scratch***
Get in the Water? do you wear swimsuits?
Tiger has to put up with bigger crowds, more noise, and greater distractions than any other golfer. That being said, he already knows this and should compose himself accordingly. I’m just a weekend hacker who plays the local courses with mowers running, drunks shouting, cars honking, etc., but I still manage to stay in the moment. Tiger and his PGA peers play on manicured courses with marshalls every ten feet and the adoring masses held at bay behind the ropes, and they play for wheelbarrows full of money. Perhaps it’s because Tiger has been so sheltered from everything except golf, but hey…get over yourself, mister! You drew these crowds, and you profit mightily from them, so CHILL OUT!!
***Response from Scratch***
Tiger has also been in the media spotlight since he was 3. One would think he would be at least a little used to it.
I just got an email from a friend depicting the differences between golf and other sports. Lots of shots of really pretty greens and fairways, with descriptions of the differences between Pro golfers and their cohorts in other sports (e.g. golfers don’t usually have a number of their competitors sitting in jail, or golfers get paid in direct relation to how well they play) as captions. All true. That being said, its a competitive sport. When Brett Favre went to Green Bay a little over a week ago, he was expected to hit his receivers with his usual pinpoint accuracy while eleven guys on the other team, and about 70,000 people in the stands were doing everything in their power to distract him. Seems to me that if concentration and staying in the zone are skills of the highly paid professional athlete, a guy should be able to put up with the occasional “click”. I mean, what does he do if a duck quacks or a goose honks???
sorry to say .. but my six year old blames others when he doesn’t win. The heavenly conditions that the pros get to play in and the crowds are nothing new, and it is those crowds that pay the bills. I’m sure tiger was real upset when he cashed his paycheck
I believe T.W. is more upset with himself than anything going on around him. He’s not winning every tourney and that is starting to bear on his psyche and it comes out as a tantrum. Get a grip T.W. and just be glad you still have a large following that even wants a picture of you.
Tiger should just suck it up and take it! Buy some ear plugs! When my friends and I are out golfing and they make a lot of noise so I will miss my shot I just put some ear plugs in …
***Response From Scratch***
Ear plugs are probably a great idea!!
I am in total agreement with Moonman613. He has become a poor example for young golfers to emulate.
I agree that the tournament is partly to blame. I am surprised that they let anyone in with cameras as there are professionals there taking pictures. I am also sick of Tiger’s outbursts as they reflect poorly on him and add a certain amount of slum to a classy sport. The guy is a phenomenal golfer, no one can take that away from him. I just wish that he wouldn’t show kids that it is alright to react like that when you make a mistake or your shot isn’t going your way. That is how the rest of the world loses their jobs!
Back to the issue at hand…Yes there should only be professionals with cameras…No, Tiger shouldn’t have blamed them for his slump.
PLAY ON!!