Tiger’s biggest issue as dad might be privacy
Difficult to imagine Woods bringing his children into public eye
 Hunter Martin / Getty Images Tiger Woods will have to be protective of his daughter. |
|
Golf on NBC |
 | Next up: Del Webb Father-Son Challenge |
 | Latest golf video |
 Woods achieves goal of winning Nov. 15: Tiger Woods says he put together some good rounds to win in Australia. |
 | Special feature |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
 | Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
Special coverage |
 |
OAKMONT, Pa. - Perhaps the most famous photo of Jack Nicklaus as a father came from the 1973 PGA Championship.
He had just completed a 68 in the second round at Canterbury when 4-year-old Gary, the fourth of his five children, ran onto the green and into his arms. Nicklaus walked off the 18th green clutching his son with one hand and his putter with the other.
Two days later, he won the PGA to break the record for most majors.
Don’t expect that to happen to Tiger Woods.
Fatherhood won’t stop or even slow his pursuit of Nicklaus’ 18 professional majors. Woods already has shown that life-changing moments, such as marriage or the death of his father, haven’t changed a thing about his dominance in the game.
Far more difficult to imagine is a warm and fuzzy photo of his family in public.
Woods became a father Monday morning in Orlando, Fla., when his wife, Elin, gave birth to a daughter they named Sam Alexis Woods. The news was announced on his Web site, leaving out such details as height and weight and when she was born.
“Pictures of Sam Alexis Woods will be made available shortly,” it said beneath a short note from Woods.
The big question is when anyone will see this child in public.
Woods can rarely go anywhere at a golf tournament without getting pounded by the press and the public, and sometimes his peers.
He draws such a clear line between private and public that Woods won’t reveal his schedule until a week before a given tournament. He doesn’t let anyone except his friends inside his home, even before he got married. The name of his yacht says it all — “Privacy.”
Ditto for his wife, a one-time model from Sweden, who will turn and walk away from a conversation when she sees a group of photographers pointing cameras at her.
There was one moment in South Africa at the Presidents Cup when Woods had just lost a match and was standing behind the 17th green at Fancourt with his wife, watching his teammates. A dozen photographers began taking pictures of them, and Woods finally stepped in front of his wife and barked, “You got enough, already?”
Imagine how much more protective he will be of his daughter, or any other children who follow.
The great coincidence about this birth was the timing.
Woods’ daughter was born the morning after he finished second by one shot at the U.S. Open, needing a 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole to force an 18-hole playoff Monday. It might be the one time, in hindsight, Woods didn’t mind settling for second.
Eight years ago, Phil Mickelson was about to become a father when he missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole at Pinehurst No. 2 that would have forced a playoff against Payne Stewart. His daughter was born the next afternoon.
Everyone knows the Mickelson children because they are dressed to the nines when they run out to the 18th. The exception was The Players Championship, when Amy and the kids were in San Diego, and Mickelson had to settle for a hug from Butch Harmon.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM GOLF |
 Golf Section Front |
| Add Golf headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links