Wow, these last two weeks have brought two major announcements in golf.
First, on March 8, the PING company and its CEO John Solheim agreed to allow the PGA TOUR and USGA to waive the waiver, or in essence, to ban the use of PING EYE 2 irons. That means no more "Groovegate"! No more Phil causing controversy by using an EYE 2 wedge to make a point. No more of Scott McCarron accusing anyone of cheating. Special thanks go to Mr. Solheim for taking this step to get the news of golf back on to the players playing.
So, we have one week of normal golf until this past Monday when, at 10:26 am CDT, the announcement is released. Of course, if you are reading this, you know full well what I mean. Tiger is returning to golf in a matter of weeks at The Masters.
If you read his announcement, it was far shorter than his 13+ minute statement a few weeks ago. And, it really didn't give us much information other than this was the right time and place. However, what he didn't say has given all of us an opportunity to fill in for him.
While driving back to the Cities yesterday from Marshall and Dacotah Ridge, I listened to the PGA TOUR Network on XM radio. Callers, and the hosts of the two different shows (Fairways of Life and Teed Off!), had widely diverging opinions of Tiger's return and why he selected to return at The Masters rather than next week at Bay Hill or at some other tournament.
I believe he is going to get criticism for anything he does, and maybe that's warranted. Ultimately, everyone's going to come to his or her own conclusions if Tiger will ever be able to be forgiven. Those people that will be able to forgive him, or at least give him an opportunity to redeem himself personally, will be willing to accept him and welcome him back to the sport. The people that can never forgive him for what he did to his wife and family will also never be willing to accept him and welcome him back.
While there is no way anyone can condone his actions, and I certainly have lost tremendous respect for him as a man, he is just that...a man who is capable of making mistakes just like all of us. True, our mistakes may not seem to be as bad, but who is to judge that? I hope I can learn to respect him for his ability, not to hit a golf ball, but to overcome his problems and serve as a role model for others like him. I believe that can happen but time will tell if it does.
I am, however, looking forward to his playing in The Masters and being a part of the excitement on Sunday.
Until next time-
Doug
Doug
