Category: Golf (Page 4 of 38)

Tiger Woods abruptly withdraws from Players Championship

May 12, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

After shooting a dismal 5-over through the front nine at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on Thursday morning, Tiger Woods has decided to withdraw from the tournament tweets the Golf Channel’s Jason Sobel.

Tiger is citing “multiple injuries” for his poor shooting and his decision to withdraw. At this point, it’s unclear what injuries he sustained but Sobel is reporting that the news shouldn’t come as a surprise because Woods “was injured coming into the week and looked injured today.” Ironically, he also withdrew from The Players Championship last year when he was dealing with a bulging disc.

According to ESPN.com, Woods “played bogey golf and visibly winced after hitting his approach shot onto the fifth green.” Nobody was sure whether the reaction was from pain that he was experiencing or frustration over his play, but it’s clear now that he hurt himself on that hole (or at least aggravated a previous injury).

TPC Sawgrass has been a major nemesis of Woods throughout the years, as he has not recorded a single top-10 finish there this past decade. He did win the event in 2001, but since then the course has proved to be a major pain (pun definitely intended).

You’d have to go back to September 13, 2009 for when Tiger last won a PGA event.

External Sports, Golf

Tiger Woods

Female reporter barred from locker room at the Masters

April 10, 2011 / John Paulsen

Tara Sullivan, columnist for the Bergen Record, was barred from the locker room after the Masters. She was attempting to interview Rory McIlroy, who was the leader heading into the Sunday.

“Bad enough no women members at Augusta. But not allowing me to join writers in locker room interview is just wrong,” the initial tweet read.

A member of the Masters media committee (Steve Ethun) told her that it was a mistake and that she should have been allowed in to conduct her interviews.

Augusta National Golf Club has a long history of discrimination and still does not allow female members to join the club.

External Sports, Golf

Tara Sullivan the Masters

Jim Gray should learn to report the story – not become it

February 19, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

For the second time since August, Jim Gray has found himself in the center of controversy involving professional golf.

In August of 2010, he got into a heated exchange with last year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Corey Pavin, calling him a lair after he insisted that Pavin had told him Tiger Woods would be a shoe-in to make the team. Pavin refuted Gray’s report and the two exchanged words, at which point Gray shouted, “You’re going down!”

His most recent incident came at this weekend’s Northern Trust Open. Golfer Dustin Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty but avoided disqualification after he was late for his tee time on Thursday morning. Johnson’s caddy, Bobby Brown, took responsibility for the mistake and then became enraged when Gray decided to question Johnson during live action. After the round was complete, Brown and Gray reportedly got into a heated, profanity-laced argument.

Now, some will say that Gray was just doing his job but he could have waited to question Johnson until after the round was over. The penalty had been assessed and the round had already started, so most journalists would have probably waited before questioning the golfer about what happened.

Not wanting him or the situation to become a further distraction, the Golf Channel removed Gray from this weekend’s coverage. It was a smart move considering that Gray has taken it upon himself (whether purposely or not) to become the story. When you’re getting into multiple incidents with the people you’re supposed to be covering, that’s a problem.

Gray has been around long enough to know that he shouldn’t be a nuisance and yet that’s what he’s become.

External Sports, Golf

Dustin Johnson Jim Gray jim gray caddy Jim Gray Corey Pavin jim gray fight

Tiger Woods gets tongue-lashing by announcer after spitting on green

February 14, 2011 / Anthony Stalter

Listen as commentator Ewen Murray tongue-slaps Tiger Woods for spitting on the 12th green at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic over the weekend:

The European Tour wasn’t pleased with Tiger’s actions and announced Monday that it will be fining him an undisclosed sum. Tiger has since taken to Twitter to apologize about the grave injustice to the world of golf.

The Euro Tour is right – it was inconsiderate to spit like that and I know better. Just wasn’t thinking and want to say I’m sorry.

Murray obviously has a point: nobody wants to put through Tiger’s spit and Woods should have apologized for not having more awareness. But I don’t think there was any reason for Murray to channel his inner Joe Buck.