Category: Golf (Page 16 of 38)

      Tiger Woods named AP Athlete of the Decade

      December 16, 2009 /

      Even though his personal life has, uh, taken a hit recently, Tiger Woods was named AP Athlete of the Decade on Wednesday.

      From the Huffington Post:

      He won 64 times around the world, including 12 majors, and hoisted a trophy on every continent golf is played. He lost only one time with the lead going into the final round. His 56 PGA Tour victories in one incomparable decade were more than anyone except four of golf’s greatest players won in their careers.

      Woods received 56 of the 142 votes cast by AP member editors since last month. More than half of the ballots were returned after the Nov. 27 car accident outside his Florida home that set off sensational tales of infidelity.

      Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor who won the Tour de France six times this decade, finished second with 33 votes. He was followed by Roger Federer, who won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other man, with 25 votes.

      Not that anyone needed a reminder, but this just goes to show you how dominate Woods has been over the past decade. Sex scandal be damned, Tiger has done legendary things in the world of golf over the past 10 years and it’s nice to see that he got recognition for what he’s done on the course.

      It’s also good to see that the media can separate a player’s personal life from his career. In a perfect world, athletes would be role models for our children because they’re always in the public eye. But we don’t live in a perfect world and therefore, the media has to be able to separate what the player does on the field from what he does off it.

      That said, how embarrassing for Woods. He receives this great honor, but he can’t even fully enjoy the moment because he’s in a hell of his own making. Every time he looks back on this award, he’ll immediately be reminded of his sex scandal. What a shame.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Golf

      Great Quotes: Phil Knight

      December 14, 2009 /

      Knight, Nike’s co-founder, spoke out about the Tiger Woods situation in a recent interview.

      “I think he’s been really great…When his career is over, you’ll look back on these indiscretions as a minor blip, but the media is making a big deal out of it right now.”

      — Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike

      It’s going to be interesting to see how history judges Tiger for his infidelity. Some are saying that it’s the biggest story of the decade, and it’s hard to disagree. Will Tiger be defined by this like Mike Vick is defined by dogfighting? No, I don’t think so. Tiger is too good at what he does to be defined by this. Once he starts dominating the tour again, this will fade somewhat into the background. But Knight is probably being pretty optimistic when he says it will be a “minor blip” in his career.

      What happens if Tiger struggles when he returns to golf? He has to get back to being the #1 golfer in the world or this story will follow him around forever.

      Golf

      Tiger loses first major sponsor

      December 13, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Accenture, supposedly the world’s largest consulting firm, has decided to drop Tiger Woods as a company representative. It’s taken longer than expected, but this is the first major sponsor to end their relationship with the troubled golfer.

      The move ends a six-year relationship during which the firm credited its “Go on, be a Tiger” campaign with boosting its image significantly. Accenture has used Woods to personify its claimed attributes of integrity and high performance.

      “After careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising,” Accenture said, adding that “it wishes only the best for Tiger Woods and his family.”

      Accenture’s advertising campaign was almost entirely built around Woods and his success, portraying his ability to sink a key putt or hit out of the rough. If Woods had acknowledged mistakes and said he would be back in a month, Accenture might be able to ride it out, said Rick Burton, a professor of sports management at Syracuse University, in an interview.

      Tiger’s other big-name sponsors include Nike, Gillette, EA Sports, AT&T, Tag Heuer. The worst of the situation seems to be over — I haven’t read about any new women coming forward in the last couple days. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see which of his sponsors back out because they think the situation is irreparable.

      Golf

      Decade Debate: 10 Biggest Upsets

      December 12, 2009 /

      The term upset is simply defined as “an unexpected defeat,” but in sports it can mean so much more. For the favorite, it’s about the pressure that comes with heightened expectations. For the underdog, it’s about using those expectations as motivation. As part of our ongoing Decade Debate series, here is a list of the ten biggest upsets of the last ten years. Remember, the magnitude of the stage is just as important as the perceived disparity between the two parties involved, so extra points are given to upsets that occurred in the postseason or in a title game.

      10. Federer beats Sampras at the 2001 Wimbledon

      By 2001, the sports world had begun to question Pete Sampras’ ability as a dominant tennis player. The man was just 29 years old and the owner of 13 Grand Slam titles, but critics predicted an oncoming collapse. Since winning the Australian Open in 1997, Pistol Pete’s Grand Slam championships curiously only came at Wimbledon. In fact, Sampras had captured all but one Wimbledon championship since his first appearance in 1993. Naturally, if he was a sure bet anywhere, it was at the All England Club. While most will remember this time period as the declining stage of Sampras’ career, it also marked the beginning of Roger Federer’s success as a professional. After winning the Wimbledon juniors in 1998, Federer was often viewed as the likely heir to Sampras’ throne. Still, nobody expected the 19 year-old and the Grand Slam record holder to clash at Wimbledon in 2001. Furthermore, if they did happen to meet, Federer wasn’t supposed to win. Making his Centre Court debut, Federer defeated Sampras 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5, thereby snapping Sampras’ 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon. Sure, it was only a fourth round match, but it symbolized so much more. This is one of the greatest upsets of the decade not simply because Sampras was favored, but because of everything that followed. Sampras would retire in two years and Federer would eventually live up to those wild expectations. And forget about Sampras getting any revenge – the two would never again face each other on the professional level. – Christopher Glotfelty

      9. Edmonton upsets Detroit in 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs

      Detroit was a heavy favorite in the quarterfinals, as the top-seeded Red Wings were coming off a terrific 124-point regular season in which they captured the President’s Trophy. Meanwhile, the Oilers squeaked into the playoffs as an #8-seed after a 95-point regular season. The Red Wings won Game 1 in Detroit, but dropped Game 2. The two teams also split the next two games in Edmonton. The Oilers then closed out the series winning Game 5 in Detroit and Game 6 at home, both by one-goal margins. The series featured two double-overtime games (Game 1 & Game 6) and all six games were decided by two goals or less. – John Paulsen

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      Tiger Woods to take break from golf

      December 11, 2009 /

      The official website of Tiger Woods announced that the golfer will be taking an indefinite break from professional golf.

      Here’s the full article:

      I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try.

      I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What’s most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.

      After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.

      Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.

      There’s a good chance that more things will be revealed about Tiger’s, uh, escapades. So taking a break from golf is probably a wise decision and it’s a good time given that there’s nothing going on in the sport right now.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Golf

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