Today, as the Masters gets underway, Augusta National head Billy Payne, had some tough comments about Tiger Woods' conduct:
To say it mildly, Augusta National chairman Billy Payne has issues with Tiger Woods.The tightly controlled environment of The Masters will work to Woods benefit this week. Fans are unlikely to make objectionable comments for fear of losing their gallery passes, and CBS will be very careful in what they say because their contract is negotiated one year at a time. This is one of the premiere events on the CBS calendar and they're not going to risk it over a smart-aleck comment.
In the chairman's annual media address before Thursday's opening round of the Masters, Payne acknowledged the golf greatness of the four-time Green Jacket winner, but then followed it with stinging criticism.
"We are not unaware of the significance of this week to a very special player, Tiger Woods," Payne said. "A man who in a brief 13 years clearly and emphatically proclaimed and proved his game to be worthy of the likes of Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. As he ascended in our ranking of the world's great golfers, he became an example to our kids that success is directly attributable to hard work and effort.
"But as he now says himself, he forgot in the process to remember that with fame and fortune comes responsibility, not invisibility. It is not simply the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here. It is the fact that he disappointed all of us, and more importantly, our kids and our grandkids. Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children."...
"Is there a way forward?" Payne continued. "I hope yes. I think yes. But certainly his future will never again be measured only by his performance against par; but measured by the sincerity of his efforts to change.
"I hope he can come to understand that life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who bring joy to the lives of other people. We at Augusta hope and pray that our great champion will begin his new life here tomorrow in a positive, hopeful and constructive manner. But this time with a significant difference from the past. This year, it will not be just for him, but for all of us, who believe in second chances."
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Woods must realize that he has alienated himself from a lot of his golfing fans, however, if he honestly makes a turn around in his personal life and sticks to playing good golf I think he can redeem himself over time. He will be the only person that can make that happen.
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