I tweeted this last night and put it on Facebook, but Golf Digest has a very interesting book excerpt from John Feinstein’s upcoming book. It talks extensively about Tiger Woods.
The excerpt is certainly worth a read and it has me interested in reading the entire book. One thing that is certain is that this isn’t going to be a soft book that the Woods camp is going to love.
A couple of highlights:
“His goal when he turned pro was to earn enough money in seven tournaments–the maximum number a nontour member could play in one year on sponsor exemptions–to avoid going to PGA Tour Qualifying School in the fall. He had all but wrapped that up. And so, even though he had a sponsor’s exemption to play the Buick Challenge the next week, he decided to go home and get some rest.
Which sounds fine. Except it wasn’t. To begin with, when you accept a sponsor’s exemption you’re expected to show up and play unless you’re deathly ill or something catastrophic prevents you from appearing. When you are the game’s Next One and you know your presence in a tournament has been promoted, you really should show up. And, when the sponsors of a major college golf award have scheduled their awards dinner at a time and place where you have told them you will be, you don’t blow off the dinner and go home.
That’s what Tiger did. A week later in Las Vegas, Woods won his first tournament, which Hughes Norton deemed proof he had done the right thing. I didn’t agree, and said so.”
Here’s another:
“After winning the Masters, Woods had been invited by President Clinton to participate with him and Rachel Robinson in a ceremony in New York commemorating the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color line.
Tiger turned down the invitation, saying he was going on vacation with friends.
“Are you kidding me?” I said to Norton–who instantly took my phone call, as he had promised.
“He’s tired,” Norton said.
“He’s always tired,” I said, referring to the blowoffs at the Buick Challenge the previous fall. “This is the president of the United States and Jackie Robinson’s widow. You go.””
That gives you a taste. Now go read the excerpt. Seems like good stuff.
Only Golf Matters 