Perhaps you hadn’t noticed, but Tiger Woods is back in the public eye.
The former No. 1 golfer in the world — whose fall from the top spot started on Thanksgiving night of 2009 when he was involved in a car accident, which evolved into a sex scandal, a media circus and eventually his divorce — appeared on the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallen, and on Good Morning America last week.
The strange thing here is that Tiger has always ducked the spotlight — appearing at times awkward, pompous or even rude during nationally broadcast interviews — even before the scandal rocked his superstar world and sent him spiraling from the No. 1 ranking.
While Tiger’s public image will never be restored, I applaud him for his efforts to look “cool” last week.
On Morning Drive, Woods and show host Gary Williams played a video game, with Woods, and his red-shirt wearing avatar, winning the one-hole match with a par. On Late Night, Woods laughed and played along with jokes from Fallen, the after-hours comedian who admitted Tiger’s antics have made his monologues easy to write. And, on Good Morning America, Woods opened up with host Robin Roberts about ways he is working hard to be a better father.
Tiger also talked a lot about his efforts to retain his No. 1 ranking in golf.
Woods, who hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since September of 2009, said he believes he is getting better every day, every tournament.
“I’ve proven it to myself on the range,” Woods said recently. “I just haven’t done it on the golf course consistently enough.”
He finished tied for 10th at the Cadillac Championship at Doral two weeks ago. It was his best finish in three starts this season.
Tiger is committed to play this week at Bay Hill, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a tournament he has won six times before. He won there in 2009, but did not attempt to defend his title last season while he was attending to personal matters.
Injuries continue for Weir
According to a report from the Associated Press, former Masters champion Mike Weir had a cyst on his left wrist drained and will miss the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
It’s the latest blow to the Utah resident, who said he hopes to be ready for Augusta National.
Weir had a tendon injury in his right elbow last year and tried to play through it until deciding to take off the final four months of the season.
Playing on a few medical exemptions early this year, Weir failed to make enough money to retain his card. He will play the remainder of the season on his status as a past PGA Tour winner and on sponsor exemptions.
Summerhays returns
After missing the cut in his last three starts, and in five of his last six tournaments, former Davis High School star and BYU All-American Daniel Summerhays is in the field this week at Bay Hill.
Having made $193,226 in his rookie season, Summerhays seeks a return to playing on the weekend. He is currently 78th in the FedEx Cup standings.
