Abu Dhabi: Tiger Woods labelled his former trainer Hank Haney’s decision to pen an unflattering exposé on him both ‘disappointing’ and ‘frustrating’, at the preliminary press call for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Tuesday.
The Big Miss - set for a March release, just a week before the Masters - threatens to overshadow the start of Woods’ much anticipated ‘comeback’ year, in a betrayal similar to former caddie Steve Williams’ alleged racist comments about the winner of 14 majors last month.
Infidelities
Add to this the rumoured $3 million appearance fee given to swap Torrey Pines, Woods’ traditional start of season base, for Abu Dhabi, and the 36-year-old, whose marriage so famously fell apart in 2009 following a string of infidelities, is again on the receiving end of a barrage of off-putting and non-golf-related enquiries.
Woods said of Haney’s book: “Certainly it’s something that I have to deal with. I get asked at press conferences what these guys [Williams and Haney] have done, and that’s just part of it.
“Am I disappointed? Yes. Frustrated? Certainly, because I have to answer the questions. And it’s been a while, you know, since I haven’t had to answer those questions. So I’ve answered them and I guess I’ll have to continue doing it. Hopefully this will come to an end.”
Unprofessional
Woods had previously said: “I think it’s unprofessional and very disappointing, especially because it’s someone I worked with and trusted as a friend. There have been other one-sided books about me and I think people understand that this book is just about money. I’m not going to waste my time reading it. I just think this book is very self-serving.”
Asked yesterday if Woods now found it hard to trust his inner circle, he replied: “One might say that. You think it’s sad? I’m asking you.” To which the reporter said ‘yes’ and Woods added: “Okay. There you go. I think I’ve answered all the questions on that.”
Haney, who trained Woods for six years, has meanwhile Tweeted: “If he reads it, I believe he will view it as fair.”
