Just got a press release from Nike about their new prototype shoe which Tiger Woods will be putting into play for the first time this week at the WGC Bridgestone.
NIKE FREE Golf Shoe
I remember a cool band here in town named “Free Beer.” They always used to get big crowds because the bar’s entertainment calendar said “Free Beer” whenever they played. I doubt that the NIKE FREE golf shoe is actually free.
Tiger Woods will be wearing these this week at the WGC Bridgestone. Click for larger version.
The name probably comes from the fact that the shoe “frees” up your feet and legs for a more natural motion and “freedom” of movement.
NIKE Press Release
Check out the whole press release on the new NIKE FREE shoe which Tiger will be wearing this week at the new HOGWire.biz golf PR web site.
Yesterday Tiger Woods’s agent Mark Steinberg announced that Tiger would be playing in the 2011 PGA Championship. As expected, the golf media went nuts and is still going nuts about this “news.”
Use your brains folks. It stands to reason that if Tiger is healthy and ready enough to play the lesser WGC Bridgestone Invitational next week he’d certainly be playing in the PGA Championship.
That being said, following Tiger’s performance this coming week at the Bridgestone I can definitely see some pontificating in the media about Tiger’s state of readiness for the PGA Champ and I’m sure I’ll do the same.
Tiger Woods will be back in action next week at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Can Tiger improve his world ranking which has dropped below 20 for the first time since something like 1997? I think perhaps making a cut should be more of the focus. Wait a second. There is no cut in that event! Brilliant move.
And no news yet as to who may be the caddie? Who will have the chance to make up for all of those bad high fives which Tiger and Steve Williams missed? I guess my resume got lost in the mail.
Update: seems as if Tiger’s friend Bryon Bell will be on the bag this week.
And what about Tiger’s swing coach Sean Foley? Just a few days ago Foley said Tiger hadn’t even hit a ball since the TPC, and now he’s playing in the Bridgestone. Odd.
Update: Foley is said to be on board and will be seeing Tiger tomorrow.
The announcement from Tiger’s web site
Tiger Woods will return to competition next week in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, he announced Thursday.
“I’m excited to get back out there,” said Woods, who has been idle since withdrawing from The PLAYERS Championship after nine holes on May 12 after sustaining a mild medial collateral ligament strain to his left knee and aggravating a strained left Achilles tendon.
Both injuries were originally occurred during the third round of the Masters, when Woods hit a recovery shot out of pine straw on the 17th hole. He went on to shoot 74, but followed with a 67 on Sunday and tied for fourth.
Following the advice of his doctors, Woods has rested and rehabbed his left leg, and just recently began hitting practice balls.
Woods has had great success at Firestone, winning the WGC event seven times. Last year, he tied for 78th, marking the first time in 11 appearances that he has failed to finish in the top four.
In 2011, Woods has competed in six PGA Tour tournaments. He has posted two top 10 finishes and has made five-of-six cuts.
So we have Tiger returning to golf and a SEVEN word quote? I dug deeper to find 12 more words on Tiger’s twitter, which hadn’t been updated in 11 days:
Feeling fit and ready to tee it up at Firestone next week. Excited to get back out there!” ~Tiger Woods via twitter
Let the media feeding frenzy begin in one… two… GO
Well the pundits will be pontificating profusely from now until a week from Sunday. Of course the big story this week won’t be anything about the Greenbrier. It will be about Tiger’s return.
A billion golf web sites are talking about the Tiger Woods / Steve Williams drama, following Tiger’s announcement a couple of days ago that he let Williams go. Williams has made some sour grapes comments on his web site and in some interviews, and hints of writing a book about his experiences as TW’s caddie. None of this is unexpected and I really think Tiger has done Steve a favor by letting him go and allowing him the opportunity to get back to a paying gig. Tiger may know he’s not returning for a while, and letting Steve hang that long with no work is not fair to him. That’s one theory at least.
Another theory is that Tiger is simply cleaning house. Not a bad plan really. Start things fresh on many fronts. I don’t think Tiger can clean house on the knee and start with a fresh one though.
Media feeding frenzy…
So the golf scribes and bloggers are all in a feeding frenzy, seemingly reading deeply into each word and extrapolating possibly more than there really is in the situation. Time will tell if there’s more or not, but for now the media’s perception seems to be reality to them.
It seems too that some scribes and outlets are so quick to put this stuff out, that they can’t even check their titles for spelling errors.
“Tiger’s ex, Steve Williams could beome an author” (see image below).
Perhaps the writer of this USA Today article or his editor can "beome" someone who spell checks? Damn I love being a blogger...
More fun media frenzy quotes:
“Tiger Woods’s Caddie Fires Back” ~New York Times
“Woods’s?” Really? I’m no English major, but shouldn’t it be “Tiger Woods’ Caddie Fires Back?”
UPDATE: well it was a good thing I said I wasn’t an English major: “Woods’s” is CORRECT. Rule 1 Strunk & White – Form the singular possessive of nouns with ‘s at ALL TIMES except ancient names. (thanks Jay). Once again a great case of “good to be a blogger.”
“Sacked Caddie bags Tiger”
“Tiger Woods’ axed caddie slams the former world No. 1”
“My respect for Tiger is gone – Sacked caddie”
“Tiger throws the wrong guy overboard”
“Williams: Wasted 2 years being loyal to Woods”
“If only Tiger Woods acted more like Irish golfers”
“Caddie Steve mauls Tiger”
“Another ugly Tiger divorce: Steve Williams cut loose”
“Steve Williams says he has lost respect for Tiger Woods”
UPDATE: USA Today fixed the headline and didn’t even send me a thank you…
Tiger Woods and Steve Williams no longer working together
I guess we won’t be seeing Tiger Woods and Steve Williams uncomfortably missing high fives anymore. Announced today via Tiger Woods’ web site:
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it’s time for a change. Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future.”
No replacement has been named. I’m sure there will be a flood of volunteers.
Steve Williams Shocked
Steve Williams was apparently a little surprised at this announcement, based on his statement today from his web site:
Following the completion of the AT&T National I am no longer caddying for Tiger after he informed me that he needed to make a change. After 13 years of loyal service needless to say this came as a shock. Given the circumstances of the past 18 months working through Tiger’s scandal, a new coach and with it a major swing change and Tiger battling through injuries I am very disappointed to end our very successful partnership at this time. I have had the opportunity to work of late for Australian Adam Scott and will now caddy for him on a permanent basis. Having started my caddying career with Australian great Peter Thompson and working for Greg Norman in the 80’s I am excited about the future working for another Australian.
As mentioned, Steve Williams will be working for Adam Scott full time now.
« Previous
1
…
19
20
21
22
23
…
55
Next »
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
