Tiger Bashing Continues
Hello. Well, the Tiger bashing continues. Tiger Woods is in Shanghai this week to play on the European Tour. He will then play in Japan before going to Hawaii for the Grand Slam of Golf. A lot of travel in a very short time.
Of course now people are wondering why he's supporting the European Tour and not supporting the Disney or Tour Championships in the good old USA. What's happening?
How about this - Tiger has an Asian background too, as his mother is from Thailand. He and Michelle Wie are enormous draws in Asia for this reason. Tiger's appearance is growing the game in leaps and bounds in China. It's got to be the top sports story in that hemisphere. Over here, the Tour Championship is overshadowed by NFL and college football, among other things, which is why the Fedex Cup next year will be in September.
Here's another reason - would you play in a tournament in Atlanta, then fly to Shanghai late Sunday night or early Monday morning for a Thursday start? That flight on conventional aircraft is 20 hours long, with 12 time zone changes. Yuch! I personally would want to go earlier.
Reason #3 - appearance fees. If people are griping that Tiger goes to China because he gets appearance money, then try to change it so he gets appearance money here. If I had the chance I would go around the world for $1 million+ too. And let's not counter by saying Tiger doesn't need the money. He can give it to the Tiger Woods Foundation, which if it's like every other charity in the world can never have too much money. Any smart business person would make that trip. That's why they are smart business people.
What do people want from Tiger anyway? He could play in any continent in the world year round if he wanted (although Antartica could be tough). He's decided to be a global golfer by playing overseas mostly during the PGA Tour's offseason. Do people want him to not go? Or to go during the PGA Tour's schedule? Or to shutdown completely like Phil Mickelson?
Give the guy who has done more for golf in the last decade than everyone else combined a break. He's earned it.
Regards,
Steve
Of course now people are wondering why he's supporting the European Tour and not supporting the Disney or Tour Championships in the good old USA. What's happening?
How about this - Tiger has an Asian background too, as his mother is from Thailand. He and Michelle Wie are enormous draws in Asia for this reason. Tiger's appearance is growing the game in leaps and bounds in China. It's got to be the top sports story in that hemisphere. Over here, the Tour Championship is overshadowed by NFL and college football, among other things, which is why the Fedex Cup next year will be in September.
Here's another reason - would you play in a tournament in Atlanta, then fly to Shanghai late Sunday night or early Monday morning for a Thursday start? That flight on conventional aircraft is 20 hours long, with 12 time zone changes. Yuch! I personally would want to go earlier.
Reason #3 - appearance fees. If people are griping that Tiger goes to China because he gets appearance money, then try to change it so he gets appearance money here. If I had the chance I would go around the world for $1 million+ too. And let's not counter by saying Tiger doesn't need the money. He can give it to the Tiger Woods Foundation, which if it's like every other charity in the world can never have too much money. Any smart business person would make that trip. That's why they are smart business people.
What do people want from Tiger anyway? He could play in any continent in the world year round if he wanted (although Antartica could be tough). He's decided to be a global golfer by playing overseas mostly during the PGA Tour's offseason. Do people want him to not go? Or to go during the PGA Tour's schedule? Or to shutdown completely like Phil Mickelson?
Give the guy who has done more for golf in the last decade than everyone else combined a break. He's earned it.
Regards,
Steve
posted by Irrelevant at 6:35 PM
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