Tiger Woods had a meteoric rise to fame thanks to golf, but that wasn't the only thing keeping him in the spotlight. When he allegedly had an affair, cheating on his then-wife Elin Nordegren, people were shocked and also intrigued. For years, headlines centered on Tiger's affair and personal life, but it didn't necessarily seem to hurt his career. Instead, the new spotlight ensured he had more attention than ever.
Even a near-death experience (due to a car accident) didn't knock Tiger down, and after all his relationship scandals, he's apparently kept the same girlfriend for a while now. Just because the buzz has died down, though, doesn't mean people still love Tiger and give him a pass for the mistakes he's made. Some might, but others are fed up with him.
Tiger's Behavior Hasn't Always Impressed Fans
Nothing highlights the split opinions over Tiger Woods better than reactions to his handing Justin Thomas a tampon while on the green. Many people defended Tiger, including Solheim Cup captain Suzann Petterson, points out Sky Sports, calling the move a "very probably boyish joke."
For his part, Tiger apologized publicly during a press conference, saying he didn't mean to offend anyone. He elaborated that the joke fell flat with onlookers, but that "between [he and Justin] it was different."
While that apology doesn't necessarily sound apologetic, and more like brushing off something that he personally doesn't think is offensive, Tiger does seem to show some humility these days, something that even his biggest supporters admit hasn't always been the case.
One fan wrote, "You never saw him crack a smile, be self deprecating or humble, or compliment another player during his years of domination." Another commented that at his "peak," Tiger "was never typically gracious or forthcoming with the people. Very guarded, single-minded, and scripted."
Now, however, he seems "more humble," they say, suggesting that Woods has found some perspective after his life's scandals. The jokes on the golf course, however offensive they might be to outsiders, seem to hint that Tiger is finally loosening up.
Not All His Fellow Golfers Seem To Like Tiger
The "boyish joke" with Justin Thomas might have been well-received by Tiger's purported pal, but other golfers don't seem to be huge fans. At least, they seem to avoid rubbing elbows with Woods.
One fan shared a story about meeting Tiger, getting his autograph on a hat, then running into Phil Mickelson and asking for an autograph.
The fan claimed that upon seeing Tiger's signature scrawled on the fan's hat, he "promptly capped his pen and said goodbye to everyone."
The story doesn't stand alone, either; Phil has been quoted as dragging Tiger Woods in the past, but it seems unlikely he's the only other golfer who isn't Tiger's BFF.
In a speculative article from Bleacher Report, the publication guessed that Tiger was "obviously discouraged, disgusted and really unhappy" playing with Mickelson in the 2004 Ryder Cup.
The publication also pointed out Vijay Singh's "Tiger Who?" hat, Rory McIlroy's wanting to "get a shot" at Woods, and Rory Sabbatini calling Tiger "more beatable than ever" in 2007.
Even Tiger's golfer niece has had some criticisms of her uncle.
Professional golfer competition aside, average folks aren't always in Tiger's corner either.
Why Do Some People Hate Tiger Woods?
After everything Tiger Woods has been through with his health, a fan took to Reddit to ask why there are people who legitimately hate the golfer. He's good at his sport and he's chill when encountering fans, so what's not to love?
That particular fan seemed to need reminding about the public scandals Tiger has had off the golf course. Outside of having cheated on his wife and getting a DUI, though, many commenters proposed that Tiger Woods has simply oversaturated the golf market—and people are flat-out sick of hearing about him.
Apart from his affair, his poor decision-making (a DUI doesn't look good on anyone's record, but as one fan pointed out, it's especially sad on a rich person's record because they can afford a driver), and his unsportsmanlike conduct, why else do people dislike Tiger?
Market saturation, said one fan, suggesting that "the entire sport became 'the Tiger show'." They gave the example of tournaments where Tiger didn't win, and yet the entire post-tournament conversation centered on why that was, and what he was doing wrong, instead of celebrating the actual winner.
That on its own could be one reason why other golfers don't necessarily love Tiger if that's actually the case. Still, one could argue that Tiger's scandals have drawn more attention to golf than it otherwise would have received.
Bad publicity is still publicity, but Tiger's drama also could have helped other golfers look better in comparison, too. Not that golf is the most scandal-ridden sport, but having a Tiger spotlight may have been a benefit, to a point.
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