Golf

Woods, wife unavailable for interview

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-30 10:35

"She doesn't want to comment on private issues like these," Holmberg's spokeswoman, Eva Malmborg, said.

Roger Federer, who has become close with Woods in recent years, said after losing in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals in London, "I haven't spoken to him. I heard it's not too serious, which is a good thing".

Woods has shared precious little about his private life during his dominance of golf, which has brought him 82 victories around the world and 14 major championships, second only to the 18 professional majors won by Jack Nicklaus.

His endorsements - Nike, AT&T, Accenture, Gillette, Gatorade - have helped make him the first athlete to top $1 billion in earnings.

Aside from occasional criticism of his temper inside the ropes, he has kept himself out of the news outside his sport. In an October posting on his Facebook account, Woods wrote, "I'm asked why people don't often see me and Elin in gossip magazines or tabloids. I think we've avoided a lot of media attention because we're kind of boring. ..."

"He's an iconic brand, the platinum standard," said John Rowady, president of rEvolution, a Chicago-based sports marketing agency. "I find it interesting how he's being attacked by so many sides after how gracious he's been. But even the best of celebrities who try to do their best can be riddled with controversy."

Rowady said Woods has solid relationships with his sponsors, and they are not likely to drop him over what is known so far.

"Here's a guy that has a squeaky clean record," Rowady said. "He leads the king's life and everybody admires him. It's a personal matter but his ability to come out and talk about it will be interesting. I'm sure he has a lot of pressure on him and is trying to avoid the rumors."

Nordegren, a former model from Sweden who once worked as a nanny for golfer Jesper Parnevik, is as private as Woods. She keeps a low profile at tournaments, watching her husband from behind the ropes, and moves on when photographers start taking her picture.

Asked at a Friday evening news conference if the couple could have been arguing, Saylor said he had no knowledge of that.

The accident came two days after the National Enquirer published a story alleging Woods had been seeing a New York night club hostess and that they recently were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.

The woman, Rachel Uchitel, denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by the AP.

"I resent my reputation is getting completely blasted in the media," she said during a telephone interview late on Friday. "Everyone is assuming I came out and said this. This is not a story I have anything to do with."

Uchitel said she was in Melbourne two weeks ago with clients and never saw Woods the entire time she was there.

"The story stands for itself," National Enquirer executive editor Barry Levine told the AP on Saturday.