Tiger

Tiger Woods: an icon in the world of golf. A brand name, world famous. Role model to thousands of kids. Even here, even to kids and youngsters I know personally. And then the story unfolds on Thanksgiving. He is injured, a car accident. Shortly after that: only minor injuries, mainly in the face. No alcohol involved, drove slowly out of his own driveway, hit a hydrant, then a tree. Has been hospitalized, treated and is out of hospital already, everything is hunkydory. I start to make jokes, such as “has nobody told him he can take relieve from immovable obstructions?” or “woods hits wood” and so on. Next another piece of information: his wife chased him, smashing the windscreen with a golfclub. Furious about an affair. Accident caused by fierce quarreling. Records of his voice appear, Tiger asking a woman to erase her name from her answering machine in case his wife calls back the number. Women coughing up information about their “connections” with Tiger. And so on. You know how this works. The yellow press has a hay day. The best paid athlete in the world being hunted down by the press. For juicy details concerning his love life. Tiger releasing an apology on his own website. Also moaning about the public hunt.
So far, so bad. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t give a toss, who Tiger sleeps with. But I personally mull over questions like: How is it possible that someone who epitomises the spirit of the game of golf lacks so much in his private life. No question about it, half of what is said and printed now might not be true, but. But. But. On the other hand: Of course he is just an athlete. And else a regular guy. However, I met him in Los Angeles many years ago. In fact, the year Nike bought him out of school, so that he could turn professional in time to qualify for the US Tour. On which he started so brilliantly later on, winning his first Masters title in Augusta. And I have met a fine young man, very well spoken, obviously well educated with impeccable manners. Much more than anyone could expect of someone his age who dedicates as much time as he did, had to do, to excell in a sport as difficult as golf. I know what it takes to become good at golf, after all I have married a professional golfer once and still work in the industry. And he is the best golfer world wide at present. Maybe this is an explanation: this sport consumes so much of you that you have no way of developing your personality in other areas. Still, the question remains. Because, apart from talent, skill, hard work, dedication, time and, if you want to be successful, that special drive to win and the ability to keep your game together when the heat is on, golf is still far more than those qualities. It is about being an excellent person. It breathes honesty, fairness, sportmanship. If you do golf, if you really play the game, you are taught humbleness, dedication, respect and countless other desireable qualities, if you did not have them to start with. This is what is generally summarised under the expression “spirit of the game”. And this is why this latest news bugs me so much. There is a gap somewhere here that I don’t understand. Apart from the question, whether a sporting hero of his standing has got a right to privacy or not, and if so, to what extend. He states on his website that he doesn’t owe the public that much. However, no matter how you got there and whether you like it: if you are the role model of so many young people around the globe, where does your responsibility end. And how do you deal with a situation like that?

He’s just that good…