What will Tiger say during his news conference Monday at the Augusta National Golf Club? What will Tiger do when the Masters starts Thursday? These questions loom large over the Masters. That's understandable, given the magnitude of both his accomplishments on the course and downfall off the course.
Woods will take the podium for what is being called a "news" conference, although it's difficult to imagine what news the four-time Masters winner will offer. Will he make a statement off the top that he's already spoken about his personal life as much as he plans to, during recent brief interviews with ESPN and Golf Channel? He also made a scripted and controlled, 131/2 minute statement on Feb. 19 in front of family and friends. Televised, of course.
Woods has been spending a lot of time at the Augusta National Golf Club recently as he attempts to find his winning form amid what is sure to be heat the likes of which he's never felt. Unless he's a man of steel, he's bound to be affected by the attention that will be directed at him and basically at him alone.
To get comfortable at Augusta, and to work on his game there, Woods practised at the course during visits the past two weeks. He also surprised some of his fellow players when he showed up Sunday. His long-time pal and former Masters champion Mark O'Meara, who pretty well acted as Woods's mentor after he turned pro in August, 1996, greeted him with a long embrace.
"I haven't seen him since July," O'Meara told The Associated Press. "I love the kid. I understand what's happened and it's not a good thing that has happened. It doesn't take away from the fact that he's my friend and I care for him. It's like I told him out there, 'This is the place where you belong. This is what you love to do.' And he does. He loves to compete and play. So it's good to have him back.'"
O'Meara's use of the word "kid" to describe Woods is disconcerting. Woods, after all, is 34. Then again, Woods's agent, Mark Steinberg, used the same word when he asked reporters to give him a break after Woods's marital infidelities became public knowledge.
Monday's press conference will tell a lot about how far Woods is willing to go in discussing his problems. He drew the line in the earlier interviews at his personal life. Meanwhile, his fellow PGA Tour player Brad Faxon did say recently that Woods should address his involvement with the Toronto doctor Anthony Galea.
Galea is under investigation by the FBI for smuggling drugs via an assistant into the U.S. Authorities are also looking into whether he has given human growth hormone (HGH) to athletes, including New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.