LONDON: Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon believes the world number one must risk the humiliation and embarrassment of a full and frank news conference over his infidelities before he can get on with his life.Woods, who is taking an indefinite break from golf, has been in hiding since admitting last month he had cheated on his wife.
“The golfing public would like to see Tiger Woods do a press conference,” Harmon told the UK’s Observer newspaper on Sunday. “To stand there in front of everybody, take his medicine, be humble, be embarrassed, be humiliated and answer the questions.
“But where the hell is he? We could find Osama bin Laden easier than we can find Tiger Woods. How long can you spend on a yacht in the middle of the ocean?”
Harmon, who now coaches world number two Phil Mickelson and does occasional commentary work for the UK television channel Sky Sports, said the 14-time major champion would have to put up with verbal asides from the crowds when he returns to golf.
“The difficult part, in my opinion, is going to be the heckling from the galleries,” he said. “He is going to get it.
“If he plays in the Ryder Cup (in Wales in October) which I happen to think he will, that is going to be very interesting.”
Harmon, who believes Woods is likely to return for one of the four PGA Tour events in Florida in March, said the 34-year-old American was strong enough to turn the other cheek to the crowds.
“He is the strongest person mentally that’s ever played our game,” said Harmon. “If there is anyone who can block out this extra stuff that is going on around him, he is probably the guy.
“If he wants to rekindle the image of who he is, this would be the best way to do it, to do the press conference because then he looks human.
“He is going to look ridiculous really, with the questions that are going to be asked. But the average person would appreciate that side of him because they’ve never seen that,” added Harmon. — Reuters