After a three-month
absence, Tiger returns
He'll offer a five-minute apology for the scandal
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Feb 18, 2010
Tiger Woods is finally coming out of hibernation, and in typical Woods fashion, he's doing it his way.
The 14-time major winner, who has been in self-imposed exile since becoming the center of a sex scandal late last year, will make his first public appearance in three months tomorrow.
Woods will give a five-minute apology delivered at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Florida, near the PGA Tour headquarters.
But it's not as simple as it sounds. For one thing, though a handful of prescreened media members will be on hand to hear what he has to say, they will not be allowed to ask questions.
For another, Woods is already coming under fire for the timing of his appearance. It's happening on a Friday, at the same time as the Tour's WGC-Accenture Match Play is taking place in Arizona.
Yesterday players were grumbling that Woods' announcement will steal virtually all the thunder from the tournament, and that it's probably no coincidence.
Accenture was one of the sponsors who dropped Woods in the aftermath of his scandal last year, and it seems like more than a coincidence that the fiercely competitive Woods would choose Friday to deliver his statement.
It's unclear whether Woods, who is rumored to have been in sex rehab the past few weeks, will rejoin the PGA Tour after this. He has been on a break from the tour to sort out his personal issues.
The saga began in late November, when word leaked of a car accident at Woods' house. As reporters snooped into the reason behind the accident, a string of alleged Woods mistresses were uncovered.
Woods eventually confessed to infidelity to his wife, Elin, and announced he was taking a break from the tour. Several sponsors dropped him, while others just pulled his ads off of television.
The tour and its TV partners have been waiting with bated breath to see when Woods, by far the biggest draw in golf, will return to the course.
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