Tiger Wood and the media have a hate-hate relationship with each other. So it was no surprise to see Tiger react to a parody interview article written by legendary golf journalist Dan Jenkins. To say Tiger was less than pleased about the piece would be severely understating it.
Tiger Woods is no stranger to media feuds, but this one will be the most controversial yet as he’s targeted legendary sportswriter Dan Jenkins with a first-person piece at The Players’ Tribune entitled “Not True, Not Funny.”
Woods did not appreciate the attempt at satire, and he used Derek Jeter’s online players’ club to issue a seething response:
Did you read Dan Jenkins’ interview with me in the latest Golf Digest? I hope not. Because it wasn’t me. It was some jerk he created to pretend he was talking to me. That’s right, Jenkins faked an interview, which fails as parody, and is really more like a grudge-fueled piece of character assassination.
Journalistically and ethically, can you sink any lower?
The truth is, Jenkins has no idea how I think or feel about any of the things he claims to know about, which is why he had to make things up. Frustration or resentment because I have not been more available to him should not give him a license for an underhanded attack on me as an athlete, as a professional and as a person. I guess Golf Digest’s editors believe this is a good way to sell more magazines. I’ll bet their readers don’t think so. Funny they didn’t think this poorly of me when I worked with the magazine. I have to say I was surprised when I saw this piece came from Jenkins, who is one of the most distinguished golf writers out there.
Woods’ ice cold relationship with certain people in the media who make it onto his enemies list is well-known. Jenkins is a charter member.
What’s unique in this regard is Woods coming to Jeter’s website to issue a public response. Woods could have easily used his own website or Twitter page or numerous other platforms to accomplish his goal here, but he chose to go to The Players’ Tribune. The site promises that the Woods column is only the beginning of hearing from more players fighting back against the media, saying “This is the first in a series of columns we’re calling ‘Straight Up.’ It’s a place where athletes can offer their side on something that has been written or said about them.”
While the Q&A parody was meant to be funny, I can see why someone like Tiger would take offense to it. Tiger has never struck me as a guy who would be able to laugh at himself or mistakes from his past and this just proves that. With all that said, he needs to lighten up a bit and not be so sensitive to things written about him. There will be much worse things said and written about him when it is all said and done.