Tiger Woods Returns (mostly) to the Sports Page
Rumours and speculation swirl around Woods’s imminent return to the links…among other things.
With the Olympics wrapped-up, Lindsey Vonn a lock for the World Cup, and March Madness still a week away, sportswriters were free this week to return attention to their pet obsession—Tiger Woods. Although Woods has remained under the radar and out of public view, and even in the absence of new disclosures about his no-longer secret love life, nevertheless newswires and sports pages came alive today with headlines proclaiming Woods’s imminent return to the game.
Only Woods himself is “officially authorized” to release information about his plans, but two well-informed sources told the Associated Press Thursday that Woods intends to play The Masters in April. Other sources close to Woods whispered he might make his reprise in just two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woods has won the Palmer six times, reigns as the defending champion, and lives just a short SUV-drive from Bay Hill, where some other accomplished golfers will compete for the cup and purse.
Since returning from Arizona, where he completed “family therapy,” Woods has dedicated himself to daily conditioning and practice. Last weekend, golf-guru Hank Haney flew to Orlando, coaching Tiger’s swing and scrupulously avoiding the media.
“The Spin Doctor” joins the team.
Meanwhile, former White House “spin doctor” Ari Fleisher signed-on as Woods’s media consultant. Fleisher has some prior experience with attempts at rehabilitating fallen heroes’ shattered images: He advised Mark McGwire as the steroid-infused slugger attempted a return to baseball. Woods’s recent public apology did more to fan the flames of controversy than to reconcile the world’s premier golfer with his fans and sponsors. According to his website, Fleisher specializes in coaching athletes to manage every single encounter with the press.
