a
ln
Theforuner world nwvnber one,
TigerWoods, finally arrives in Singapore. Golf s ?nost high-profile golfer Tneets Singapore's vnost awdacious layowt in a special event orgdnised by
MarinaBay
Sands at Laguna
I'{ational's World =
o o
; ts
o ;,i
o ts o
Classic cot/trse.
JuK.Tex Teports.
oryears now golffans in Singapore have asked rhetorically when Tiger Woods will ever tee it up on our 1itt1e island. Reasons forhis absence have ranged from conflicts with schedules to lack of spons orship. Yet every golfer, whether they're fans or not, were left wondering, and wishing. We1l, the day arrived in October
last
year, when Tiger made an appearance courtesy of an invitation by Marina Bay Sands in an exclusive event held at Laguna National's World Classic course. Though
the event was a quiet and oh-so-private affair, there was little doubt that the 1oca1 papers would get a hold ofit. They did and leaked his presence in the press. Whatever you do, you can't keep a good
needed to get their acts together.
Butjust
impor-tantly, it mayhave been Patrick Bowers, General Manager ofLaguna National, who tipped the scales. as
"It was a unique combination of the contacts and network ofMarina Bay Sands (MBS) and my past working relationship with TigerWoods and his company," Bowers said.
"It was a private outing on the golf
man down, or at least away from the media. Tiger is probablynot the same golfer as you'd expect two years ago, pre-scandal, and when he won a tournament out of any three he played. The fickleness ofthe
course ln which (invited guests and Tiger) played together, and which also consisted ofsome up close and personal meet-andgreet events with Tiger hosted by MBS." For several reasons, Tiger and Laguna's World Classicwas the ideal match. Both
game, the uncertainty of performance,
are new ln Singapore; both attract pola-
and the stress from personal life probably
rising feelings; and both will never fail to catch anyone's eye. It would be the world's (former) best golferversus Singapore's (current) toughest course. For one thing, Bowers could also learn from what Tiger had to say about making
weighs on him today. But in Singapore at least, he's probably one golfer that anyone and everyone would love to watch. Watch they did. At least, the ones who were fortunate enough to get an invite to the special clinic set up on the first tee of the equallyprivate and exclusiveWorld Classic course at Laguna National Golfand Country Club. For this to happen, stars needed to a1ign, and interested panies
World Classic even better. "We are hoping to develop the World Classic into the unique jewel in the Laguna crown," Bowers adds.
"It
is
different,
courts controversy and discussion, and
]ANUARY 2012
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GOLF DIGESTSINGAPORE
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59
stimulates strong feelings among golfers. "We wanted to seek Tigcr's opinion and input and also to have the chance
for
the course. With regards to the 'clinic'portion, it afforded us the ability to have him hit many different shots from 75yd wedges to a tough pin placement, to driving the front ofthe flrst green ifhe wanted. He didn't disappoint." him to
see
He certainly didn't. Tiger u,as relaxed, cordial, friendly, and down right funny, having the thirty or so lucky people in attendance in laughter at times. Ifyou could redeem the number ofoohs and aahs from the crowd at the clinic for beers, you
wouldn't have been able to make it out of Laguna's carpark. Tiger's clinic was a casual one, and he invited people to throw questions at him. "I'd like this to be a casual session," Tiger said. "You can ask me anyth ing ) ou want...
just not on my downswing." (Laughter from the crowd.) That pretry much set the tone for the next halfand hour or so. Clad informally in a Nike (of course) white tee and Bermudas, Tiger began the session explaining his rvarm .up routine before a tournament round. "I'11 start
1
â‚Ź.
with my sand rvedge, then 8-iron, 4-iron, 5-wood, 3-wood, driver, then back to my 8-iron and 6o-degree wcdgc," he provided "Then I finish offrvith whatevcr I'm going to hit on the first tce that day." "Some days I tend to hit a drau,, somc u,ith a fade; some days I hit it high, somc 1ow. I tryto flnd a pattern in mvwarm-up, so when I get to the course, I kind ofknos' what my miss will be that day. N{ostl}', I tn' to keep relaxed and light-hearted. I remember one year in Germanr', I had the best rvarm up session ever. At the i5o, zoo, z5o, 3ooyd markcrs, T hit even'one. Then I go out and start offboge),, double bogey." (Laughter.)
What lns
t
as set up.
Foley beenuorking
onu,itlt
"He actually got me to go back to swinging the way I did when I rvas
a
junior golfer,"
the man answered. "I'"vasn't getting my club at in-rpact to be in the correct position before. He's been trying to get me there but in a different rvay. I't e also been rvorking r,vith the Trackman launch monitor a lot. It sholvs vou all the numbers and has helped me understand mvgolf srving more. Do
yottreU,
rnosc on-fecl ot'ntechanics?
"When I'm plaling, it's 95 per cent feel Butu,hen I'm practicing, it's a totirllv different thing. I'il try to get my mechanics right there." probab11..
Tiger lets one rip ctt the World Classicfirst hole ttlrct'e the clittic
Se an
yott,'Iigcr?
;6P-x;rru to
t4.it
fi'om thc bi,rcli tcc (3or yards)... h it his 3 s'ood to 15 f'cct...
and pron-rpth'
rnd mrdc the putt. So hc liked that hoic." Borvcrs is prob:rbll' onc person rvho undcrstrrnds u,hat f iqcr is likc as a coursc dcsigncr, l'ravins rr orkcd at tirc Tigcr \Voods DLrbrr project prior to his arrival
brck to Singapore as thc gencral mirnrger irt Legunr National. "Whilc Tigcr is first ancl forcmost kno\\m ils a plirycr, his unclcrstanding
oftbc design busincss
and his attentior-r to clctiril is impressive,"
t
Ilos.cls rcvcals. "It is iirntastic to hcar in-s jeht on not onh'str-.ltcq\', but thc historl of coursc desi{.an rnd hurv certain his
intlucr.rccs anci designcrs appcal to
rlrn,ncrl
lo,r,.s
ln thc bag?
got this neri' Nike \rll Cil'itt, Bzrck z-iror-r in preprration fbr thc ,\ustrrrliirn Opc.n rnd 'fhe Prcsident's Cup. It allows rne to hit thc ball los-. (l ic tees orrc up rnd smircks rr linc drivc that flcrv about 5r'r.r off thc grotrnrl
"l
into thc distar-rcc.) imrrgine r{rcn thrt hits hard, cln, fairri'ir1,, hon,far it's going to eo. llut hcrc's ti-rc cool thing, bccirusc of thc pcrimctcr rre ightins, I cru-r :r1so do this... (l-re hits one r-rp high ir-r the rtir as if he jList tcr'd up ir.s-\\'ood)." (Oohs rnd aahs fl on-r a
thc crorvd again.)
mc thirt thc numbcr onc gorl is to beat thc cour-sc. You har.c thcse obstirclcs oLlt thcrc ancl tou nccd to knou,hou,to go about gctting irroLulci th0n1." IVft
rt
I tio.t,o
ii
r-cflcct
tlt iitl: o.l-ritc \\/ot'11 C1o.s.src
cr-rzil sc?
"This onc:'l'hi-s onc ought to bc tor-rgh ]ioLL
1br'
gri)'s."
\o
kiddine. But hc dicl nrorc ihrlrliust ferv holcs s,jth thc iuvitcci gLrests aticr his clinic. "llc ollbrcd both 1-rositivc conmrcnts
plav
rr
:,)'tc'-t(':rl li'.,iblrcll Io' i't,ir',,\Jnl\'ttl," Br,\\CI i s.ri.l :iboLLl lli5 1llLulinS rvith 'i'igcr lbout thc,\nch, Dle cicsigrr. "l Ic
1-ris
stylc ancltl-rirt hc dr;nvs fiom circh or.rc. I Ie plrce s a hith premium on the'approach shot' rrnd his grcen sitc designs
that."
'l'houeh'i'igcr dicl pley r8 holes u'itl'r all the gr.Lcsts thlrt 1i11,, his st-u,'rs too short fbr most of us, and prrrticularlr,thosc u'ho ncvcr got to sec him tee it up. I Iis solid pcrfbrmrurce ir.r i.roth thc r\ustraiian Open rnd at Thc Prcsiclent's Cup hints at rr pos-siirlc conrcbirck bv the rvorld's most lirllon ccl golf'cr'. Tigcr'\\roods tbr thc llrrrclavs Sinerporc Opcn in:.or:.? \or,that's l tl.ror-rght u,orth rclishing. e
ilnrl
1,1,'hat'.s
"l
l/rc l;cst7 )Llt't of
yt1711 9,1 1,r17
rlrirrk tlre hr'.t p:'ril (,l nr\ I.rnrc i: thc ahilitl lo Ji*sect il t()lf((,lric,ju:t plirnning holr'to plar,it. \1r-clrtd used to tell
pictur.-s of sonte of thc bolcs rrncl se nt thcnr imrnccliatclv to his chief clcsigner in toc>k
thc L.S. \Vhcn hc plrlcd
1'ro1c 3 hc
just irari
v t oEo \.ir'il il lo rrirrc/r !-.)1fc1i;r1c
oiil
LI rr'.-3o17,
/iq,':/srrlrqrori .r'orl
c.r'c1rr.slt' r,rrlco of 'l'iger Woods'
al thc Logzrntr Nlrlionrtl Gr$ttuLl
CotLitl i'y Clttb Wotld Clossic cotu'se. ;;u.i.r /:is l; rrrlci;rrlr'/r
".s/rol"ot
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THE NEED FORSPEED
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0ur annual quiz will yietd a few taugh's at 2011 gaffes. By Dan Jenkins
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