Tiger Woods signs his autograph for fans as he walks off the practice range during a practice round prior to the 2010 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 5, 2010 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Harry How/Getty Images
Let's assess Tiger Woods' 40-minute media availability on the grounds at Augusta National in golf terms. The disgraced golfer turned the front nine several strokes under par, making a few nice saves and draining a couple of key shots. On the back nine? The old Tiger-- cocksure, disingenuous-- emerged to cost him some of the gains he'd made in the early going. Result? To quote the hoary sports cliche, "He did what he needed to do." No more, no less.
And how did the media do in pinning Woods' wings to the mat? Using the golf analogy again, there were a few layups, a couple of shanks but an awful lot of good swings at the defrocked king of golf. With persistent, low-key questions ranging from infidelity to intemperance to inchoate redemption, it was a good day for a reporting group that many critics felt wasn't up to the task.
In Canada, there was little preamble - although CBC's rough poll found men in the Masters' gallery more forgiving than women of Woods' promiscuity. But GolfChannel, CNN and CNBC set up the event with extensive panels. "There's no way we're going to gather for the biggest press conference in the history of golf and chaos is going to happen at Augusta National" said Golf Channel's John Hawkins. "This is all about trying to rehabilitate himself to his sponsors," pronounced Steve Eubanks on CNN.
On CNBC, David Dusek of Golf.com asked the question that the approximately 15,000 fans had asked themselves earlier as Woods practiced with Fred Couples and Jim Furyk. "Is it morally wrong to cheer for this guy?" Before we could ponder that, Woods was walking into the room at Augusta, visibly nervous and unshaved. With a rueful smile as he introduced he essayed, "what a great day today" even as his voice betrayed him.
Because reporters did not identify themselves, it was impossible to know who asked what, but the first question about the injuries suffered in the car crash set the tone. From his involvement with alleged HGH doctor Tony Galea of Toronto to his foul temper on-course to his wife's behaviour on the fateful November night he crashed his car ("That's personal"), the reporters covered the gamut in a sober and largely neutral inquisition. Follow ups were few, but those second questions asked produced some enlightenment-- particularly when Woods revealed he'd had an undisclosed achilles problem in 2009.
Woods was not above pandering to the crowd when asked if he was surprised by media coverage. "I was surprised at the mainstream media. But the times have changed as well. With 24-hour news you're looking for any kind of news to get out there.
"I know a lot of my friends are in here. I haven't seen them, haven't talked to them. I read their articles and they were critical of me. And they should. Because what I've done was wrong. But I know a lot of you are my finds and will always be my friends." Kumbaya.
Gaining confidence, Woods began to flash his old hubris, shutting down any discussion that he might have dodged an impaired-driving charge last November. "Police investigated the accident, the fined me a hundred 66 bucks. Closed case." (Replied a tart Eamon Lynch on CNN: "Case closed, that's not dealing with issues. it's perhaps a tacit acknowledgement that perhaps he was and got away with a careless driving and not a DUI.")
He also blamed the media for hounding his family, ignoring that it was his holing up in his crib for months that led the press to search out him and his family.
Initial reviews of the performance were mostly positive-- outside of what took so long to fess up? Daren Rovell of CNBC was not hot on Woods' vow to be more temperate on the course. "I do not think companies want that. Nike, EA, Tag Heuer, Proctor and Gamble, they need the fist pump." Paul Hunter on CBC was sanguine. "He talked a lot about himself, looking in the mirror, what some people might call psych-babble....or as someone emailed me, quoting the great Moon Unit zappa, "Gag me with a spoon".
Business guru Jim Cramer vigourously defended Woods use of Dr. Galea's plasma spinning. Saying he'd had the procedure for a bad wrist, Cramer fumed, "The idea that this is somehow bad... this is not doping. It gave me new life. It's what NewYork Hospital is doing to stimulate growth." Rhys Lloyd of the NFL Minnesota Vikings was supportive on Twitter: "Tiger is doing a great job. Being flat out honest. This is good for him.
But Scott Walker of Golfchannel perhaps best summed up the general reaction. "This most be the most contrite, the most "human" we've ever seen Tiger Woods." And until the strokes start counting on Thursday at the Masters, will probably be enough.
Lest anyone think Woods and his Masters' keepers left anything to chance, rules mandated one person per outlet, no photographers or cell phones. Doors sealed to the room well before Woods' entrance. There were no celebrity writers parachuted in. And news outlets were allowed just three minutes of highlights per hour from the presser.