Tiger Woods and his manager are prepared to move forward over the Brandel Chamblee controversy but insisting the ball is in now in the court of Chamblee’s employer, the Golf Channel.
Chamblee backed down and went onto Twitter to offer an apology to Woods after he criticised the 14-time Major Champion in an article by saying he had been ‘a little cavalier with the rules’ and thus gave Woods an ‘F’ grade for his 2013 season but then just prior to the apology the one-time PGA Tour winner in a report by colleague, Doug Ferguson said he was sticking to what he said in the piece.
Woods broke his silence on the matter just moments before teeing off the his Match at Mission Hills showdown with Rory McIlroy at Haikou on Hainan Island.
“All I am going to say is that I know I am going forward but then I don’t know what the Golf Channel is going to do or not so then that is up to them,” said Woods.
“The whole issue has been very disappointing as he (Chamblee) didn’t really apologise and he sort of reignited the whole situation.
“But so as far as I am concerned I’m going to put it behind me and move forward, so the ball really is in the court of the Golf Channel and what are they are prepared to do.”
And Steinberg endorsed Woods comments regarding the Golf Channel and remarking: “I’m all done talking about it and it’ now in the hands of the Golf Channel.
“That’s Tiger’s view and that’s mine, and all we want to do is move forward and whether the Golf Channel moves forward as well then we will have to wait and see.
“We’ve now said our peace, and those who know me know that I don’t put out statements very often, and I said what I said so let’s just see if both parties now move forward.”
Woods and Steinberg’s argument with the Golf Channel is that the dedicated ‘golf only’ station has never reported on the Chamblee controversy.
Woods arrived in Haikou near 9pm local time on Sunday night after a nine hour flight from Florida via Anchorage, Alaska for refuelling and after a one our stop a 12-hour flight to Hainan Island.
However Woods was clearly struggling with a very sore throat and revealing he had picked up the virus from his daughter, Sam.
“My little daughter was sick and as a parent I’ve managed to pick up a really sore throat, as you do,” said Woods.
“It’s amazing also as they seem to get over it pretty quickly and I just can’t seem to shake it.”
Woods was coughing often during the early holes of his match with McIlroy and calling on his caddy for medicinal cough drops to try and help sooth his discomfort.
Woods’ is making his first-ever appearance at Hainan Island and it competing for a first time since being a member of the victorious USA Presidents Cup team.
And when asked how much golf have you played in the intervening period, he said: “None. None.”
McIlroy ended a month’s break last week competing in the European Tour’s BMW Masters but finishing mid-field in Shanghai. However the current World No. 6 headed into showdown with the experience of having played four rounds on the Blackstone course in the 2011 World Cup of Golf where he and Ireland partner, Graeme McDowell finished in third place.
“If Tiger comes off two weeks away and beats me then I’m going to find it hard to accept that,” said McIlroy smiling.
