Tiger Woods’ prank? Solheim Cup captain says it wasn’t meant ‘as a harassment’
Suzann Pettersen at the 2019 Solheim Cup.
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Tiger Woods was joking, Suzann Pettersen says.
During her press conference this week following her appointment to captain the 2024 European Solheim Cup team, the two-time major winner was asked about an incident that occurred last Thursday at the Genesis Invitational, when Woods placed a tampon in Thomas’ hand after Woods outdrove Thomas on a hole. Here is the complete exchange from Pettersen’s press conference, which followed a question about her team.
“You’ll have to forgive the clumsy segue, but there’s a topical issue around golf,” a reporter said. “There’s been a lot of discussion the last few days about Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas. You’re a figurehead of female sports and golf in general, but what’s been your observation of watching that and the reaction to it, as well?”
Tiger Woods apologizes for tampon joke he made mid-round with Justin Thomas
“I know Tiger quite well,” said Pettersen, who will also captain the European team at this year’s event. “I don’t know Justin Thomas as well, but I know kind of Tiger’s humor, and that’s a very probably boyish joke between the two of them, and I don’t really take it too personal.
“Not much more to comment on that. I think that was supposed to be a gig between the two of them, and unfortunately some cameras caught kind of the gig in the heat of the moment. I don’t know, I don’t think he meant to be offensive in any way.
“I don’t really have any other comments. I’m pretty easy on stuff like that. I’m sure it was meant as a joke, not as a harassment to women in general.”
The Woods incident, which happened on the 9th hole at Riviera Country Club, was shown during Golf Channel’s broadcast, but it was unclear what Woods handed Thomas, and Thomas knocked the tampon away, before Woods put his arm on Thomas’ shoulder as they walked down the fairway. Later Thursday, high-resolution photos captured what Woods had in his hand, and they were circulated over social media.
On Friday, after his second round, Woods offered an apology after he was asked by a reporter about the incident.
“Your joke with JT from 9 yesterday is kind of going viral,” the reporter began. “Can you kind of just explain your thoughts behind it?”
“Yeah, it was supposed to be all fun and games, and obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods said. “If I offended anybody, it was not the case; it was just friends having fun. As I said, if I offended anybody in any way, shape or form, I’m sorry. It was not intended to be that way. It was just we play pranks on one another all the time, and virally I think this did not come across that way, but between us, it was — it’s different.”
Tiger Woods’ tone-deaf prank puts damper on otherwise thrilling day
At the Genesis, Woods was playing his first event since the Open Championship last July, as he continues to recover from a car crash in February of 2021. Woods was paired with Thomas and Rory McIlroy, who he is close with, during the first two rounds.
After his round on Thursday, Woods referenced some of the talk the players were having, after he was asked about a moment on the final hole where all three players birdied.
“You couldn’t help but seem to smile and laugh at the birdie putt on 18,” a reporter said to Woods. “What was going through your mind? What elicited that emotion?
“Well, I think it’s the group,” Woods said. “JT hoops one in there, and Rory’s been beating us all day. He’s nervous as can be because he didn’t want to be the one to miss on 18. I didn’t want to be the idiot host to miss it right in front of everybody after I just went birdie-birdie.
“These are all things that we all say amongst each other, but obviously people don’t hear it, but caddies hear it, we all hear it.
“It was a great round. The ebb and flow of needling each other, encouraging each other and telling stories. Because I hadn’t been out here so I’ve missed some of the things that have transpired on Tour, which is kind of fun.”
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