Following two weeks of ever-unfolding revelations, Tiger has announced that he will hang up his spikes for the foreseeable future.
I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try.
I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What’s most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.
After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.
Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.
It’s a nice statement, but I find it hard to believe that there’s any chance of a real marriage after Tiger’s serial adultery. After one bimbo, perhaps. But a dozen? That’s not a moment of poor judgment; that’s malice and forethought. The only reason that Elin would stay with him is for the kids and/or the money. Therefore, I have to view this as a public relations stunt.
Still, it may be a good move for the sponsors, the Tour and golf in general. Tim Finchem now is relieved of any pressure to suspend the Tour’s meal ticket. Tournaments don’t have to worry if he’ll show up and bury them with paparazzi, distracting from their staid corporate sponsors and worthy charities.
If he is indeed serious about this, he needs to sit out a year. Imagine the pundits if he returns midseason: Is it too soon? Is it too late? Has he patched things up with Elin so quickly? Has he abandoned efforts at reconciliation? There’s just no way to control this scenario.
Imagine the talk if he returns for The Masters: He’s putting his pursuit of Jack’s record ahead of his wife and children. Similar comments will follow if he returns in time for any of the other Majors. And if he takes the whole season off, people will sense that things were even worse than imagined. But forfeiting the entire season may at this point be the only option he’s got.
Next year, his best bet may be to make an occasional appearance at the Majors. He can say he’s doing it to stay close to Elin and the kids in Sweden. She can be the Hillary to Bill and do the whole stand-by-your-man thing, following him around, making obvious appearances with him at the hotels, and parties.
I’ve predicted for years that Tiger soon would reach the phase where he was playing only the Majors. I just didn’t think that something like this would be the precipitate.
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I have to politely disagree with Golfblogger. The PR guy should have nothing to do with Tiger’s family life and golf is just a job when it compares to losing the wife and kiddies. After everything Tiger has allegedly done, there could be no ‘take a few months off and come back at the end of March’ timetable (maybe if there had been the one ‘bimbo’ yes). He and the family need a complete restart and he does need to get completely away from what made it possible for him to do all of those bad things. And from what I hear, he’s finally remembering that he’s got a wife and is doing what she wants him to do. A little late for that, but I like seeing him dance to her tune.
Garth Brooks walked away from music several years ago because he recognized that he needed to work on his family values. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Now on the sneaky side of things – if they go to the island hideaway in Sweden – what’s the divorce laws like over there? If Elin files there, will she get more money? Could she have talked Tiger into going there for the ‘healing’ but have some backup plan in mind?
Sadly I don’t think we will see Tiger on the golf course fore quite some time.
I really like the headline for your post. Nice use of repeating a phrase in a different sense. Clever!
Nike will stick with him, but Elin will be gone by spring.
Tiger will be in seclusion, appear on national tv for a public confession, regain public sympathy, the media will be coddling and understanding, and Tiger will make a triumphal return to golf and participate in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Tiger will not give up golf for Elin. It would be worse then water-boarding to him to not play golf. I can’t believe he loves Elin enough. And I doubt Elin wants him either. It might be a touch of cruelty on her part to have the public aware of her terms…terms she knows are unachievable. Who knows why…maybe she is partially to blame for his falling out of love with her, but certainly it does not excuse his actions.
With a nod and a wink, fans will greet his return and he will be back on his game before St. Andrews, with renewed focus on his goal. And new product endorsements, but certainly not of the standards he is used to.
From what I’ve read, being a child of divorce herself, Elin strongly desires to stay married just so her kids won’t have to grow up having divorced parents. I feel really bad for her and the kids.