CHASKA, Minn. – Tiger Woods didn’t take much time to celebrate his 70th career victory on the PGA Tour and not just because he was on Hazeltine National at dawn Monday to get ready for the PGA Championship.
CHASKA, Minn. – Tiger Woods didn’t take much time to celebrate his 70th career victory on the PGA Tour and not just because he was on Hazeltine National at dawn Monday to get ready for the PGA Championship.
Woods, so careful to avoid controversy throughout his career, stepped out of character after winning the Bridgestone Invitational.
One question into his interview, he shifted attention away from his late heroics at Firestone – an 8-iron from 178 yards over the water that stopped a foot from the hole for birdie – by blaming the anticlimactic finish on a rules official.
Woods was perturbed that he and Padraig Harrington were put on the clock at the pivotal 16th hole Sunday and suggested that Harrington was rushed into three poor shots that led to triple bogey. What had been one of the most compelling duels of the year gave way to another inevitable Woods victory.
Not only did Woods identify the rules official – European Tour chief referee John Paramor – he later shared with the media what he told Harrington on the 18th green.
“Like I was telling him out there, ‘I’m sorry that John got in the way of a great battle,’ because it was such a great battle for 16 holes, and we’re going at it head-to-head, and unfortunately that happened.”
Paramor and Slugger White, the PGA Tour rules official in charge at Firestone, defended the decision as simply enforcing a policy.
Woods will be fined for his public criticism of a rules official, one PGA Tour official said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the tour does not announce fines.
There were arguments for both sides.
The final round ended right about 6 p.m., enough time for CBS Sports to do a quick interview with the winner. Was it really necessary to put them on the clock?
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In photo: Tiger Woods catches a ball from his caddie during a practice round for the 91st PGA Championship at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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