The “Tiger Woods return” buzz is starting to get louder – and clearer – with each passing day.
Woods’ swing coach Hank Haney flew into Orlando Sunday to spend a few days with his star student on the private practice range at Woods’ exclusive Isleworth neighborhood, according to a report by Golf Digest.
This follows a report last week that Woods was working diligently on his game at Isleworth. Fellow Isleworth resident Charles Howell III spoke with Woods and said the swing looked good.
With all this serious work on his golf game, the widely circulated prognostication that Woods will return to competitive golf this month is starting to resemble fact.
The interclub match between Lake Nona and Isleworth, an all-star exhibition, is set for March 22-23 inside the secure gates of Isleworth. That is followed two days later by the Arnold Palmer Invitational at nearby Bay Hill, a tournament Woods has won six times.
With the Masters at Augusta two weeks after Bay Hill, this seems a likely scenario for Woods first competitive golf since November, when his multiple extramarital affairs became public.
Woods’ undeniable career goal is to break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. This year’s majors lineup suits Woods to a tee – Augusta, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews and Whistling Straits. It is hard to believe he will pass up even one of these good chances to cut into Nicklaus’ lead.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Several companies already registered for 20th Anniversary ING Spring Conference in Pinehurst
We are still two months away from the start of the 20th Anniversary ING Spring Conference, but already several organizations and dozens of individuals have registered. The conference will take place May 9-13 at the beautiful and historic Pinehurst Resort.
Anyone in the golf industry and media is invited to attend (www.inggolf.com).
The non-profit International Network of Golf conducts this annual gathering of golf media and business leaders to exchange information, display products and develop and nurture business relationships.
Three equipment manufacturers made their attendance official in the past few days.
Adams Golf will participate in the complete conference schedule, including Demo Lab and the One-On-One Appointment Show. This marks the third consecutive year that Adams has been active in the conference. The company will be promoting its Speedline Fast 10 driver, among other clubs.
Also on board for the Pinehurst gathering is PowerBilt and its highly successful Air Force One driver and fairway woods. The clubheads of the Air Force One golf clubs are pressurized with nitrogen, are built with the thinnest face in golf and feature weightless face support for maximum trampoline effect. PowerBilt will participate in the Demo Lab and the One-On-One Appointment Show.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf, a supporter of ING for nearly 20 years, will be at Pinehurst promoting its red-hot R9 line and new apparel technology. Adidas has agreed to be the official conference shirt provider as well. Both TaylorMade and adidas will be in the one-On-One Appointment Show.
International Pairs returns to sponsor the ING World Finals Qualifier and participate in the ING One-On-One Appointment Show. The Qualifier will be conducted May 10 on the renowned Pinehurst No. 4, a Donald Ross design touched up by Tom Fazio. The winning duo in that best ball net points tournament will represent ING and the U.S.A. in the International Pairs World Finals. The twosome will receive a nearly all expenses paid trip to Scotland to compete against 36 other countries at Cameron House in Loch Lomond in October.
The schedule is jammed with educational, networking and product display opportunities. The highlights:
1) The ever-popular One-On-One Appointment Show, a series of private meetings between exhibitors and media to open lines of communication, create unique promotional programs, gather story materials and build relationships.
2) The State Of The Industry Breakfast. Workers from different segments of the golf industry will lead discussions on the current state of the golf business, with the hope of creating solutions to lead individuals and companies back into a positive direction.
3) The Demo Lab will feature companies large and small displaying their latest equipment and training gear on the practice range and green.
4) Education and self-improvement programs galore, including a session touching on the utilization of Social Media and marketing programs.
5) Motivational session with one of the best in the world, Chip Eichelberger, formerly of the Tony Robbins company.
Another terrific reason to attend this conference is the host site itself. Located in the North Carolina heartland, world-renowned Pinehurst Resort is a 2,000-acre historic property featuring spa, golf, tennis, family, events and leisure recreation. Widely known as the cradle of American golf, it has hosted more single golf championships than any other site in America, including the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup Matches, PGA Tour Championship and many others. In 2008 it became the only resort to top the coveted Travel +Leisure Golf Best Golf Resort list for an unprecedented third time, as chosen by its readers.
Having already hosted two U.S. Opens, Pinehurst Resort will become the first host site of back-to-back Men’s and Women’s U.S. Opens in 2014.
Those interested in attending may do so by visiting www.inggolf.com and clicking on Spring Conference. An electronic registration process is available.
For more information on ING, call 407-328-0500, ext. 4.
Anyone in the golf industry and media is invited to attend (www.inggolf.com).
The non-profit International Network of Golf conducts this annual gathering of golf media and business leaders to exchange information, display products and develop and nurture business relationships.
Three equipment manufacturers made their attendance official in the past few days.
Adams Golf will participate in the complete conference schedule, including Demo Lab and the One-On-One Appointment Show. This marks the third consecutive year that Adams has been active in the conference. The company will be promoting its Speedline Fast 10 driver, among other clubs.
Also on board for the Pinehurst gathering is PowerBilt and its highly successful Air Force One driver and fairway woods. The clubheads of the Air Force One golf clubs are pressurized with nitrogen, are built with the thinnest face in golf and feature weightless face support for maximum trampoline effect. PowerBilt will participate in the Demo Lab and the One-On-One Appointment Show.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf, a supporter of ING for nearly 20 years, will be at Pinehurst promoting its red-hot R9 line and new apparel technology. Adidas has agreed to be the official conference shirt provider as well. Both TaylorMade and adidas will be in the one-On-One Appointment Show.
International Pairs returns to sponsor the ING World Finals Qualifier and participate in the ING One-On-One Appointment Show. The Qualifier will be conducted May 10 on the renowned Pinehurst No. 4, a Donald Ross design touched up by Tom Fazio. The winning duo in that best ball net points tournament will represent ING and the U.S.A. in the International Pairs World Finals. The twosome will receive a nearly all expenses paid trip to Scotland to compete against 36 other countries at Cameron House in Loch Lomond in October.
The schedule is jammed with educational, networking and product display opportunities. The highlights:
1) The ever-popular One-On-One Appointment Show, a series of private meetings between exhibitors and media to open lines of communication, create unique promotional programs, gather story materials and build relationships.
2) The State Of The Industry Breakfast. Workers from different segments of the golf industry will lead discussions on the current state of the golf business, with the hope of creating solutions to lead individuals and companies back into a positive direction.
3) The Demo Lab will feature companies large and small displaying their latest equipment and training gear on the practice range and green.
4) Education and self-improvement programs galore, including a session touching on the utilization of Social Media and marketing programs.
5) Motivational session with one of the best in the world, Chip Eichelberger, formerly of the Tony Robbins company.
Another terrific reason to attend this conference is the host site itself. Located in the North Carolina heartland, world-renowned Pinehurst Resort is a 2,000-acre historic property featuring spa, golf, tennis, family, events and leisure recreation. Widely known as the cradle of American golf, it has hosted more single golf championships than any other site in America, including the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup Matches, PGA Tour Championship and many others. In 2008 it became the only resort to top the coveted Travel +Leisure Golf Best Golf Resort list for an unprecedented third time, as chosen by its readers.
Having already hosted two U.S. Opens, Pinehurst Resort will become the first host site of back-to-back Men’s and Women’s U.S. Opens in 2014.
Those interested in attending may do so by visiting www.inggolf.com and clicking on Spring Conference. An electronic registration process is available.
For more information on ING, call 407-328-0500, ext. 4.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Florida's Largest Golf Show a Big Hit
If you missed Florida’s Largest Golf Show this past weekend at the Tampa Fairgrounds, make sure you put it on your calendar for next year. It is well worth the drive over for Orlando area golfers.
The expo hall was full of exhibits of all types, from equipment to apparel to training aids. There were interactive displays, teaching clinics and travels deals from resorts as far away as Treetops Resort in Northern Michigan.
Exhibitors were very happy with attendance, especially the first two days.
“The crowd has been steady,” said George Baker, CEO of Razor Golf in Tampa. “It was real crowded on Saturday. We are very pleased.”
Joining Razor along equipment row and the indoor hitting area were companies such as TaylorMade Golf, Bridgestone, Callaway, Adams, TItleist and others.
Bionic Golf, maker of the popular and high-tech Bionic Glove, made the trip down from Louisville. “Very happy we came,” said Director of Marketing Cheryl Fink.
The show is conducted by Turner Williams Media of Brandon, FL.
The expo hall was full of exhibits of all types, from equipment to apparel to training aids. There were interactive displays, teaching clinics and travels deals from resorts as far away as Treetops Resort in Northern Michigan.
Exhibitors were very happy with attendance, especially the first two days.
“The crowd has been steady,” said George Baker, CEO of Razor Golf in Tampa. “It was real crowded on Saturday. We are very pleased.”
Joining Razor along equipment row and the indoor hitting area were companies such as TaylorMade Golf, Bridgestone, Callaway, Adams, TItleist and others.
Bionic Golf, maker of the popular and high-tech Bionic Glove, made the trip down from Louisville. “Very happy we came,” said Director of Marketing Cheryl Fink.
The show is conducted by Turner Williams Media of Brandon, FL.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
10 years later - Gary Koch happy with his work at Mystic Dunes Resort
Like fine wine, a golf course sometimes needs time to mature into the great final product that was envisioned when the first seed was planted.
Small tweaks are made in the formative years. Trees mature. Mowing habits change. And finally, after a few years of trial and error, and with the helping hand of Mother Nature, a golf course settles into its final stage.
The true test comes when the designer returns to play the course after all of these changes have occurred. And that was the case for Mystic Dunes Golf Club recently when architect, PGA Senior Tour player and NBC Golf Commentator Gary Koch teed it up on the course he created almost a decade before.
No problem. Koch was all smiles after the round.
“I am very pleased with how things turned out,” said Koch. “Mystic Dunes does a good job of keeping the course maintained. It is in fine shape.”
Koch was given an unusual assignment when he signed on with Tempus Resorts to design Mystic Dunes. His charge was to create a unique layout for the Orlando area, and to make it a layout that would send people away buzzing about what they had seen.
“It was a luxury to design,” said designer & former PGA player Gary Koch recently. “It was a unique opportunity, as the owners wanted something that people would talk about. I'd say we accomplished that.”
There are three design elements that set Mystic Dunes Golf Club apart. One is elevation change. With unique mounding, rolling sand dunes and natural wetland areas, Koch brought as much as 80 feet of elevation change into play on several holes. A good example is the par 5 eighth, where the fairway rises dramatically from the tee box to beyond the landing area, then drops down to a green that is partially hidden on the approach shot.
That elevation change can be found in many of the greens complexes as well. The par 5 sixth features a putting surface that drops almost eight feet from top to bottom. And the green on the par 4 10th, nearly driveable for long hitters, has three distinct plateaus, separated by large mounds in the middle of the putting surface.
A second unique element is the use of whiskey barrel bunkers that are found on several holes. These bunkers feature steep, wooden-walled bunkers that create a visually stunning and difficult obstacle. This is especially true on the short par 4 fourth, where the three bunkers stand on guard on the right side of the landing area, directing players to a safer play to the left.
The third design element is that the front and back nines at Mystic Dunes are distinctly different. The front nine is is characteristic of the Carolina Low Country, meandering through native wetlands and marsh areas, bordering oak and cypress forests. The back nine features the characteristics of a British Isles links course, with perimeter mounding, pot bunkers, and lush, rolling fairways.
When asked about the maturity of the course Koch said, "The course has matured well. Mystic Dunes management had to compromise some design features to accommodate changes, such as losing a tree that was left intentionally in the layout, but again, the staff did a great job in working with these factors.”
Koch also stated, “I compare a golf course to nurturing a child. You make adjustments as you grow.”
Koch also had positive comments about the golf experience being served up by the Mystic Dunes staff.
"The level of service is great,” said Koch. “The staff does a great job of making an impression on guests, and there is a keen level of ownership pride.”
The course is ranked a 4 ½-star facility among Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play”, has been honored as a Course of Distinction among Golfweek’s “Best Resort Courses”, and is ranked #2 among “Orlando’s Top 5 Golf Courses” by TravelGolf.com.
"Overall the playability, the fun factor, and the service were great," said Koch.
Mystic Dunes is also a destination unto itself, with beautiful 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas right on the golf course, and lots of other amenities - a home away from home for families visiting the world-class attractions in Orlando.
For more information or tee times, please call the Mystic Dunes Pro Shop at 407-787-5678 or 866-311-1234.
Small tweaks are made in the formative years. Trees mature. Mowing habits change. And finally, after a few years of trial and error, and with the helping hand of Mother Nature, a golf course settles into its final stage.
The true test comes when the designer returns to play the course after all of these changes have occurred. And that was the case for Mystic Dunes Golf Club recently when architect, PGA Senior Tour player and NBC Golf Commentator Gary Koch teed it up on the course he created almost a decade before.
No problem. Koch was all smiles after the round.
“I am very pleased with how things turned out,” said Koch. “Mystic Dunes does a good job of keeping the course maintained. It is in fine shape.”
Koch was given an unusual assignment when he signed on with Tempus Resorts to design Mystic Dunes. His charge was to create a unique layout for the Orlando area, and to make it a layout that would send people away buzzing about what they had seen.
“It was a luxury to design,” said designer & former PGA player Gary Koch recently. “It was a unique opportunity, as the owners wanted something that people would talk about. I'd say we accomplished that.”
There are three design elements that set Mystic Dunes Golf Club apart. One is elevation change. With unique mounding, rolling sand dunes and natural wetland areas, Koch brought as much as 80 feet of elevation change into play on several holes. A good example is the par 5 eighth, where the fairway rises dramatically from the tee box to beyond the landing area, then drops down to a green that is partially hidden on the approach shot.
That elevation change can be found in many of the greens complexes as well. The par 5 sixth features a putting surface that drops almost eight feet from top to bottom. And the green on the par 4 10th, nearly driveable for long hitters, has three distinct plateaus, separated by large mounds in the middle of the putting surface.
A second unique element is the use of whiskey barrel bunkers that are found on several holes. These bunkers feature steep, wooden-walled bunkers that create a visually stunning and difficult obstacle. This is especially true on the short par 4 fourth, where the three bunkers stand on guard on the right side of the landing area, directing players to a safer play to the left.
The third design element is that the front and back nines at Mystic Dunes are distinctly different. The front nine is is characteristic of the Carolina Low Country, meandering through native wetlands and marsh areas, bordering oak and cypress forests. The back nine features the characteristics of a British Isles links course, with perimeter mounding, pot bunkers, and lush, rolling fairways.
When asked about the maturity of the course Koch said, "The course has matured well. Mystic Dunes management had to compromise some design features to accommodate changes, such as losing a tree that was left intentionally in the layout, but again, the staff did a great job in working with these factors.”
Koch also stated, “I compare a golf course to nurturing a child. You make adjustments as you grow.”
Koch also had positive comments about the golf experience being served up by the Mystic Dunes staff.
"The level of service is great,” said Koch. “The staff does a great job of making an impression on guests, and there is a keen level of ownership pride.”
The course is ranked a 4 ½-star facility among Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play”, has been honored as a Course of Distinction among Golfweek’s “Best Resort Courses”, and is ranked #2 among “Orlando’s Top 5 Golf Courses” by TravelGolf.com.
"Overall the playability, the fun factor, and the service were great," said Koch.
Mystic Dunes is also a destination unto itself, with beautiful 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas right on the golf course, and lots of other amenities - a home away from home for families visiting the world-class attractions in Orlando.
For more information or tee times, please call the Mystic Dunes Pro Shop at 407-787-5678 or 866-311-1234.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
New breakthrough technology makes EazyBag one of year's best new golf products
One of the best new products launched recently at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is not a club that hits it longer or a training aid that creates consistency.
Nope, one of the hot new products coming to the market is a golf bag.
The EazyBag, created by Dr. Tim Dylina and his wife Lisa, features breakthrough technology and produces an ease of use that all golfers will find appealing.
"Golf bags have been around for a long time, but this bag adds new technology not yet seen in the industry," said Dylina. "The EazyBag is designed to take the frustrations out of the normal cart bag and to allow you to enjoy your golf game well into the future."
The Dylinas, avid golfers themselves, wanted a golf bag that made it easier to lift the clubs out of the bag. After several years of discussions with others in the industry and designing prototypes, the EazyBag was born.
The EazyBag features a unique club lock system that keeps clubs in place on top and bottom with a soft yet secure hold of graphite or steel shafts. This rubber club holder allows every club to have its proper place, putter through driver; and can be replaced if necessary.
Along with the ease of use, the EazyBag has several other benefits. The front opening promises no more banging and scratching of clubs; the bag comes with a clear, vinyl zipper rain bubble to protect clubs from the elements; and the ample pockets provide easy access to personal items, balls, and tees.
"This is a great concept. It is so much easier to identify my clubs and retrieve them. I want one of these now," said Suzanne Zopolos, an avid golfer who recently saw the bag.
The bag retails for $199 and is available in four colors (Navy/Silver, Black/Silver, Dark Gray/Fuchsia, Black/Zebra). To learn more about the benefits of the EazyBag, visit www.ltgolf.com.
Nope, one of the hot new products coming to the market is a golf bag.
The EazyBag, created by Dr. Tim Dylina and his wife Lisa, features breakthrough technology and produces an ease of use that all golfers will find appealing.
"Golf bags have been around for a long time, but this bag adds new technology not yet seen in the industry," said Dylina. "The EazyBag is designed to take the frustrations out of the normal cart bag and to allow you to enjoy your golf game well into the future."
The Dylinas, avid golfers themselves, wanted a golf bag that made it easier to lift the clubs out of the bag. After several years of discussions with others in the industry and designing prototypes, the EazyBag was born.
The EazyBag features a unique club lock system that keeps clubs in place on top and bottom with a soft yet secure hold of graphite or steel shafts. This rubber club holder allows every club to have its proper place, putter through driver; and can be replaced if necessary.
Along with the ease of use, the EazyBag has several other benefits. The front opening promises no more banging and scratching of clubs; the bag comes with a clear, vinyl zipper rain bubble to protect clubs from the elements; and the ample pockets provide easy access to personal items, balls, and tees.
"This is a great concept. It is so much easier to identify my clubs and retrieve them. I want one of these now," said Suzanne Zopolos, an avid golfer who recently saw the bag.
The bag retails for $199 and is available in four colors (Navy/Silver, Black/Silver, Dark Gray/Fuchsia, Black/Zebra). To learn more about the benefits of the EazyBag, visit www.ltgolf.com.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Orlando area sports psychologist Dr. Gio Valiante's DVD set will help you finish your career round
It has happened to the best of us on the golf course. You’re having one of those days when the drives are finding the fairway, the bounces are going your way and the hole looks the size of a top hat.
You’re working on a career round and your confidence has never been higher. Then it happens.
You start thinking about it.
Suddenly the driver feels like a sledgehammer, your wedge becomes a garden hoe and your putter feels like a fire hose. You finish double, double, double and that career round turns into just another frustrating day on the golf course.
Psychologists call it “fear of success.” But fear not, because help is on the way.
Orlando area sports psychologist Dr. Gio Valiante has created a program that will help you overcome that mental hiccup that keeps you from finishing off the career round.
Fearless Golf has helped PGA Tour professionals like Heath Slocum, Matt Kuchar, Camilo Villegas, Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh, Stewart Appleby and others to tap into the mental toughness it takes to win on tour. Now he delivers those same secrets to you on a DVD set called “Fearless Golf Academy.”
See what professionals like Camilo Villegas have to say about Dr. Valiante??In DVD one, Dr Valiante teaches golfers how to understand the role of fear in golf, then gives tips on how to embrace the fear by controlling focus in various aspects of the game.
DVD two offers specifics on how to beat your buddies by playing the golf course, how to establish a fearless routine, and how to tap into sources of confidence. The DVD also includes insights from Villegas, Appleby and others.
A bonus third DVD includes and interview with Appleby and serves up a dozen fearless tips and drills.
Dr. Valiante is currently a professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He serves as the mental game consultant to Golf Digest, The Golf Channel, and the University of Florida. His philosophy is straightforward. By combining research from diverse fields in performance psychology, Dr. Valiante has created a program that has had measurable results with golfers at all levels.
Dr. Valiante does not give his golfers “more” ideas and things to think about. Rather, he teaches golfers to get rid of the extra baggage that clutters their minds, which allows them to remain clear and focused on their way to playing fearless golf.
To learn more about the Fearless Golf Academy DVD, visit www.fearlessgolf.com. Do so and your career round could be just around the corner.
You’re working on a career round and your confidence has never been higher. Then it happens.
You start thinking about it.
Suddenly the driver feels like a sledgehammer, your wedge becomes a garden hoe and your putter feels like a fire hose. You finish double, double, double and that career round turns into just another frustrating day on the golf course.
Psychologists call it “fear of success.” But fear not, because help is on the way.
Orlando area sports psychologist Dr. Gio Valiante has created a program that will help you overcome that mental hiccup that keeps you from finishing off the career round.
Fearless Golf has helped PGA Tour professionals like Heath Slocum, Matt Kuchar, Camilo Villegas, Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh, Stewart Appleby and others to tap into the mental toughness it takes to win on tour. Now he delivers those same secrets to you on a DVD set called “Fearless Golf Academy.”
See what professionals like Camilo Villegas have to say about Dr. Valiante??In DVD one, Dr Valiante teaches golfers how to understand the role of fear in golf, then gives tips on how to embrace the fear by controlling focus in various aspects of the game.
DVD two offers specifics on how to beat your buddies by playing the golf course, how to establish a fearless routine, and how to tap into sources of confidence. The DVD also includes insights from Villegas, Appleby and others.
A bonus third DVD includes and interview with Appleby and serves up a dozen fearless tips and drills.
Dr. Valiante is currently a professor at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He serves as the mental game consultant to Golf Digest, The Golf Channel, and the University of Florida. His philosophy is straightforward. By combining research from diverse fields in performance psychology, Dr. Valiante has created a program that has had measurable results with golfers at all levels.
Dr. Valiante does not give his golfers “more” ideas and things to think about. Rather, he teaches golfers to get rid of the extra baggage that clutters their minds, which allows them to remain clear and focused on their way to playing fearless golf.
To learn more about the Fearless Golf Academy DVD, visit www.fearlessgolf.com. Do so and your career round could be just around the corner.
Tiger Woods sincere in his apology press statement
Tiger Woods’ first public appearance was a tearful admission to his transgressions, and a request for forgiveness.
Woods seemed humiliated, contrite and sincere in his admission, and indicated that he is in the every early stages of recovery. He will return to rehabilitation on Saturday.
Woods did not indicate when he would return to competitive golf .
“Starting tomorrow I will leave for more treatment and more therapy,” he said. “I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things more important to me – my marriage and my family.
“I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. “
He touched on his Buddhist beliefs, and said that he had abandoned those beliefs. He vowed to return to a more spiritual center in his life.
Woods said that he felt he was above the rules; that he was entitled to stray. He then admitted that belief was wrong, and that he needed to live by the same rules as everyone else.
Woods’ voice raised when he touched on reports that his wife, Elin, had become physically abusive prior to his car crash the early morning after Thanksgiving.
“Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage – ever. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
What I did is not acceptable. I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values I was taught to believe in. “
He apologized to everyone – family, sponsors and the kids who have looked up to him as a role model.
Then he added, “My real apology won’t come in words, but my behavior. “
He asked that the media leave his family out of this, then he closed by saying,
“I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again .”
Following a long embrace with his mother, he hugged or shook hands with others on the front row for this press statement at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, then left the room.
Woods seemed humiliated, contrite and sincere in his admission, and indicated that he is in the every early stages of recovery. He will return to rehabilitation on Saturday.
Woods did not indicate when he would return to competitive golf .
“Starting tomorrow I will leave for more treatment and more therapy,” he said. “I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things more important to me – my marriage and my family.
“I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. “
He touched on his Buddhist beliefs, and said that he had abandoned those beliefs. He vowed to return to a more spiritual center in his life.
Woods said that he felt he was above the rules; that he was entitled to stray. He then admitted that belief was wrong, and that he needed to live by the same rules as everyone else.
Woods’ voice raised when he touched on reports that his wife, Elin, had become physically abusive prior to his car crash the early morning after Thanksgiving.
“Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage – ever. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
What I did is not acceptable. I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values I was taught to believe in. “
He apologized to everyone – family, sponsors and the kids who have looked up to him as a role model.
Then he added, “My real apology won’t come in words, but my behavior. “
He asked that the media leave his family out of this, then he closed by saying,
“I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again .”
Following a long embrace with his mother, he hugged or shook hands with others on the front row for this press statement at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, then left the room.
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