Eldrick Tiger Woods

If Bill Plaschke and his ilk think that Tiger Woods is going to slit his wrists, break down and cry, bare his soul, and spill his guts with all the lurid details of his personal life — it's not going to happen. Furthermore, just because a handful of shameless celebrities and some celebrity-starved "common" folk have this obsessive need to air their dirty laundry via talk shows and reality TV does not mean this is to be expected of Tiger. Not enough remorse, apology or amends for you, Bill?

Name: Eldrick "Tiger" Woods. * Born: Dec. 30, 1975. * Birthplace: Cypress. * Height: 6-foot-2. * Weight: 160 pounds. * Residence: Orlando, Fla. * College: Two years at Stanford University. * Career PGA Tour earnings: $1,756,944. * Major Amateur Titles: U.S. Amateur champion, 1994, 1995 and 1996; NCAA champion, 1996; U.S. Junior Amateur champion, 1991, 1992 and 1993. Professional Tournaments 1996 Tournament, finish: Money Milwaukee Open, 60th: $2,544. Canadian Open, 11th: $37,500.

Tiger Woods gave the moment lip service Sunday, because technically, when he stood on the 12th green at Congressional Country Club's Blue Course, he could have lost the AT&T National, his very own golf tournament. He was tied for the lead. He had just hit a ball a hole earlier that neither he nor anyone else could find, leading to a bogey. He could have -- get this -- gagged it away. "You can go either way," Woods said. "You can win the tournament, or you can lose the tournament."

Tiger Woods says he never rented a moving truck in Sacramento. He says he never put $100 down on a used luxury car. And golf's best player says he never gave Anthony Lemar Taylor, 29, of Sacramento permission to charge $17,000 on his credit cards. Woods was the opening witness Monday in the identity theft trial against Taylor. Prosecutors charged Taylor with six counts of felony identity theft and perjury. Taylor used Woods' real name--Eldrick T.

The choice--between Stanford and Nevada Las Vegas--would seem to be simple, but Eldrick (Tiger) Woods still agonized over it. Woods, a Western High honors student who happens to be one of the best junior golfers in the nation, made such a strong effort to keep an open mind that he says the pressure made him physically ill. So it was with relief Wednesday that Woods announced he will attend Stanford. "Now I can tell people where I'm going to college," Woods said.

At 15, Eldrick (Tiger) Woods, a five-time world champion and veteran of "That's Incredible!", has received more attention than most people get in a lifetime. Apparently, Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of fame don't apply when you're a youth golfer with a plus-4 handicap.

If Bill Plaschke and his ilk think that Tiger Woods is going to slit his wrists, break down and cry, bare his soul, and spill his guts with all the lurid details of his personal life — it's not going to happen. Furthermore, just because a handful of shameless celebrities and some celebrity-starved "common" folk have this obsessive need to air their dirty laundry via talk shows and reality TV does not mean this is to be expected of Tiger. Not enough remorse, apology or amends for you, Bill?

Tiger Woods locked arms with Bobby Jones, golf's greatest legend, when he won his second Masters tournament Sunday at Augusta National and became the first player to hold all four major professional championship titles at the same time. After making a birdie putt on the 18th hole to clinch the two-shot victory over David Duval, Woods pulled his cap over his face to conceal tears. It was a rare display of emotion by Woods, 25.

All right, let's synchronize our watches. Fairly soon, possibly even by the end of this week, the world of professional golf actually may get the words it has been waiting to hear for so very long. Eldrick "Tiger" Woods will say he is turning pro. Then the merchants of golf will get their turn to speak. They will say something like, "Gentlemen, start your cash registers." Better get ready. The U.S. Amateur begins today at a place in Cornelius, Ore.

He walked into the room 16 minutes behind schedule, wearing a tailored pink shirt, a fitted black hat and a big smile for the cameras. But on his feet, Tiger Woods wore silver Nike running shoes instead of golf spikes, and at first glance, it was a bit disarming. Almost like seeing Frank Sinatra in flip-flops. But the shoes were symbolic of what it means to be Woods during the week of the AT&T National, the annual PGA Tour tournament he hosts.

Tiger Woods is often asked about the knee surgery he had after his triumph at the 2008 U.S. Open. A different procedure was on his mind Tuesday. "I need to have a sex change? Is that what you're saying?" he said. The questioner led Woods down that path by asking about the USGA's decision to play the men's and women's Opens on consecutive weeks at Pinehurst in 2014. "Do you see somebody trying to play both of them?" Woods was asked. "Would you be interested?"

In the middle of March Madness, when almost nothing can distract us from baskets and brackets, a man named Eldrick slam-dunked on us. About an hour after North Carolina went on a high-flying run past Oklahoma, Tiger Woods soared even higher above the rim. If you think NCAA basketball is a great show, understand that, on this Sunday, it met its match.

Tiger Woods spent his first nine holes Thursday afternoon at the Arnold Palmer Invitational still shaking off rust from his eight-month absence from competitive golf. Then Woods reminded everyone why he has won 14 professional majors. Playing before swarming crowds that came to Bay Hill largely to see him and playing partner Padraig Harrington, Woods overcame poor ball-striking to record four straight birdies on the back nine to shoot a two-under-par 68.

The journey back from that disheartening U.S. Open defeat actually started here. That's what would make Phil Mickelson's winning the CA Championship so poetic. If Mickelson's revamped swing is everything he believes it is, if a victory today sets up a major-championship run that forever trumps the memory of his unraveling at Winged Foot in 2006, this is where history will remember the reconstruction beginning.

Banks are tanking and auto sales are in the dumper. But the economy of golf is about to heat up. Think Tiger and Phil, only-first-names-needed superstars. Think two cowboys, staring at each other down a dusty main street in Dodge City, spurs on their boots, guns in their holsters, hands at the ready. Think cash registers ka-chinging with ticket sales and rocketing TV ratings. As recently as Wednesday, golf was just another business looking to redo a loan until things got better.

You know, the last time there was a commotion like this in the desert was when they invented the time share. Everybody knows how big that thing got. What we have going on now is all because of the Skins Game, which isn't actually about face-lifts or wrinkle cream or anything like that. No, it's about that holy trio of money, golf and television ratings, not to mention Tiger Woods and John Daly in the most anticipated long-driving contest since the interstate opened.

Born in Southern California with a silver golf club in his hand, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, the only child of a Thai mother and a United States Army Green Beret colonel, became the Masters tournament champion here Sunday with a masterful demonstration of skill at age 21, setting precedents for race, youth and score.

The leader in the clubhouse was Phil Mickelson. The story of the day was 3,000 miles away. Mickelson shot an eight-under-par 63 at Riviera's Northern Trust Open on Thursday. Tiger Woods, at home in Florida, typed on his website. He's back. Eat your heart out, Michael Jordan. Your return was huge. His is gigantic. Less than an hour after Mickelson turned Riviera into Rancho Park from the red tees, the buzz began. Tiger, out since last June 16 when he won in a playoff on the 91st hole of the U.S.

Tiger Woods had a circular stick in his hand in Southern California again Tuesday and waggled it confidently as he stood over a golf course. It is not what you think. Tiger is not back, not quite yet. The knee injury that will be forever etched in our memory as the focal point of his courageous and dramatic playoff victory on that Monday in June at Torrey Pines is still healing. He said his timetable for returning to the PGA Tour is still uncertain. He had surgery shortly after the U.S. Open.