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Golfers deny making critical Tiger comments

Athletes say there weren’t interviewed by magazine about Woods

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Two golfers quoted by a weekly magazine as making disparaging remarks about Tiger Woods and his marriage said Thursday night they never spoke to the publication.

In a story that Life & Style posted on its Web site, Ben Crane is quoted as saying Woods is a “phony and a fake” and that Woods’ wife knew about allegations of extramarital affairs. It also quotes Charles Warren as saying Woods’ wife “had stars in her eyes and maybe dollar signs too” and should leave him.

The magazine said in a statement it was investigating.

“This is unbelievable,” Ben Crane told The Associated Press from his Dallas-area home. “I never said a word about anything. They print this and put my name next to it.”

Warren said through his agent that he has not given an interview of any kind in two months.

“I have not spoken to Life & Style magazine, so there is no story here,” Warren said in a statement.

Crane’s agent, Tommy Limbaugh of 4UManagement, said a magazine official told him the interview took place at the PGA Tour Qualifying tournament last week at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Crane finished 51st on the PGA Tour money list this year and was not at Q-school. Warren, who finished 147th on the money list, withdrew from Q-school before the final round. He was too far back to earn his card.

“We sent an experienced freelance reporter to a golf tournament attended by several PGA pros,” the magazine said in a statement. “Our reporter spoke with two golfers who presented themselves as Ben Crane and Charles Warren. We are taking these claims very seriously and investigating further.”

Asked if the magazine took photos of the golfers it interviewed, a spokeswoman declined further comment. Life & Style published the quotes Wednesday afternoon, and several Web sites posted them Thursday.

Crane said he first learned about the quotes Thursday morning when his agent called.

“At that point, I was like, ’OK, that’s the farthest thing from the truth,”’ Crane said. “I didn’t realize I should be proactively calling you and (other journalists) until all of a sudden the tour called and said they wanted to run it (on television).”

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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