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Punch Shots

Welcome to Punch Shots, where the GolfChannel.com team and Golf Channel talent will regularly square off and debate hot topics from the biggest newsmakers in the world of golf.

Golf Channel

38When will Tiger Woods return to golf?

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profileIconGolfChannel.com Team   Posted 02/08/2010, 2:43 PM EST

When will Tiger Woods make his much anticipated return to the professional arena? In this edition of Punch Shots, GolfChannel.com senior writers Rex Hoggard and Randall Mell weigh in with their opinions.


By REX HOGGARD

A headline on the ubiquitous ESPN scroll ranked right up there with the sun rising in the east and death. Report: Tiger Woods to not play WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Let’s forget for a moment that Woods has not been seen publically since before he got sideways with that Isleworth fire hydrant and that the only news regarding the world No. 1 has come via the dubious filter of the tabloid press. Woods won’t make his debut in the Arizona desert for the second consecutive year because he’s got a long memory and because he’s likely not ready.

Accenture was one of Woods’ endorsers that distanced themselves from the fallen icon following Black Friday. The company had every right to do so, but don’t expect Woods to offer the celebrity of his world premiere in return.

Woods will return when he’s ready, meaning when his life and his game are in order, not when the schedule is ripe.

The secondhand scraps of information filtering out from the Woods Camp suggest that the WGC-CA Championship at Doral and Arnold Palmer Invitational are the leaders in the Tiger Lottery. But that’s only if he’s ready, and only Woods knows that answer.
By RANDALL MELL

It all depends on the status of Woods’ marriage.

As far as we know, and we know so little as fact, Woods and his wife, Elin, are still together. They’re still trying to keep their family intact.

If that’s true, my answer’s simple: Woods should return wherever his wife, Elin, wants him to return. He should return when she’s comfortable their life together is best served by his re-entry into public life. If that means he misses all of this year and postpones a return to 2011, so be it. There will be no doubt about his re-commitment to family. There will be hope in a carefully rebuilt marriage for everyone who wants to see him succeed as a man as much as a player.

If the marriage is over, well, the sooner Woods returns the better for golf. If he wants to postpone tabloid journalism’s reach, his best bet is to return at the Tavistock Cup in Orlando behind the protective walls of a private development and then tee it up at the Masters. But I’d rather see him meet what awaits head on at the WGC-CA Championship in a month. Make a direct statement to the world in the international city of Miami.

 

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  1. GetaGripAmerica

    GetaGripAmerica Said on 02/13/2010, at 2:29 AM EST

    “"Woods will return when he’s ready, meaning when his life and his game are in order, not when the schedule is ripe." REX....I AGREE.”

  2. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/12/2010, at 12:49 AM EST

    “Hey Ttech and 1krats, did you notice a mysterious no-show today? Looks like 3iorn can't handle backing up his words with actions huh?? Don't think I should expect receiving a "silver one" anytime soon! Darn, I was hoping he'd send it by Priority mail!”

  3. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/11/2010, at 10:31 PM EST

    “Thanks Ttech, you played a helpful part by exposing his so-called connections in Scottsdale! ”

  4. TTech

    TTech Said on 02/11/2010, at 7:07 PM EST

    “bobcheck - He is exposed once again. Good job.”

  5. 1KRats

    1KRats Said on 02/11/2010, at 12:10 PM EST

    “Eh, 3iron....I think they call that checkmate.”

  6. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/11/2010, at 11:23 AM EST

    “Hey, 3iron, time to call your hand, and for you to ante up! Bob Nasiff, 2288 Tully Farms Road, Tully, NY 13159. See 3iorn, if you have no god, you have no fear! So, now lets see what type of a real girl you are there sweetie! Please do send me a "silver one"! Now that I have given you my address 3iron, time for you to put up or shut up! ”

  7. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/11/2010, at 10:23 AM EST

    “1krats, see what I'm talking about with 3iorn? she never has anything of substance or intelligence to offer on any subject on TGC! Just lies and rants on in anger and violent overtones! It is tough for me not to respond to stupid violent ignorance! But I am trying! As you can see, my reply to her was short and sweet this time! By the way 1krats, apologize for my past comments against you! You actually make pretty good sense most of the time! We may disagree now and again, but I will certainly try to be more civil in the future! ”

  8. 1KRats

    1KRats Said on 02/10/2010, at 11:35 AM EST

    “Eh, 3irons and bobcheck....Although I am relatively new to the GC post and I do appreciate both your knowledge and nuances of the game and participants I for one get a little tired of your tasteless one up man-ship. I like good shots in the shorts, scuds, puns, and gotcha's as well the next person. Y'all and others step over the line at times. My opinion. ”

  9. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/10/2010, at 10:44 AM EST

    “3iron, a christian encouraging suicide?? Yupper, sure a real Jesus follower I see! So 3iron, back to play my game huh! Yes sir, I can drag the anger and evil of yours right to the surface for all to see! I can always get you to make nasty comments 3iron, which just proves my point, you love playing my game with me pulling the strings! You see 3iorn, you never say anything of substance! You are a great attacker, love swearing, threatening people with physical harm, assaulting people and encouraging suicide! Looks like my man Satan has you solidly in his grip! Common 3iorn, showcase your stupidity and cowardice! Hey 3iron, I'm gay and I like pain! I can tell you really care and want a piece! When you visit Buffalo, maybe we can hook up! I can tell there are a lot of things you'd like to do to me! Just ask for my phone# and email and you just might be lucky enough to get it on with me! Heck, you've called me a fag several times, so you must have some experience!”

  10. kingofpoop5

    kingofpoop5 Said on 02/10/2010, at 10:39 AM EST

    “Who cares!! Golf is the game, not any one player.”

  11. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/10/2010, at 1:18 AM EST

    “Also wylee, with all your comments about Tiger's sex life and all your sexual innuendos, looks to me you surely have fully described yourself as in the category of a sexual "pervert"! Rather then embarrassing yourself on this forum articulating your sexual fantasies, I think you'd do better at your specialty, taking a lot of strokes in the woods where you belong! Ooopps, isn't that what sexual perverts specialize in doing?? ”

  12. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/10/2010, at 1:10 AM EST

    “Hey wylee, nice try in correcting your bad grammar! Now your saying you meant crouch?? Or did you mean crotch, instead of your poorly misspelled "croch"? Do you ever use spell check? Or are you just too stupid to? Very embarrassing for you wylee! Now do us all a favor and try not to dig yourself a bigger hole! ”

  13. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/10/2010, at 1:08 AM EST

    “BlackBalzz, your on, and for how much? ”

  14. yleecoyotee

    yleecoyotee Said on 02/10/2010, at 12:21 AM EST

    “So we know Tiger is a pervert. Now, does golf really need Tiger, or is the game simply selling out? The following is from the Online Dictionary and MSN Encarta: Pervert - somebody whose sexual behavior is unacceptable: somebody whose sexual behavior is considered unacceptably deviant; a degenerate, deviant, deviate, reprobate. Is this golf? I think not! Ban Woods from golf. ”

  15. yleecoyotee

    yleecoyotee Said on 02/09/2010, at 11:46 PM EST

    “bobcheck, do you mean something like "crouching tiger, rubbing dong" lol”

  16. Black Balzz

    Black Balzz Said on 02/09/2010, at 11:21 PM EST

    “i'll take that bet, and give u 2:1 he doesn't play for the rest of the year”

  17. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/09/2010, at 11:17 PM EST

    “I'll lay even money here that Tiger will play in the 2010 Masters!”

  18. Black Balzz

    Black Balzz Said on 02/09/2010, at 10:50 PM EST

    “All this crap about "when will Tiger return" is garbage. The only place Tiger will return to is a massage parlor”

  19. yleecoyotee

    yleecoyotee Said on 02/09/2010, at 10:40 PM EST

    “Seems to me that John Daly has admitted he's a drunk, and Woody Austin has publicly stated (on numerous occasions) that he's a nut bar. So why can't Tiger admit what the rest of free world already knows... that he's a pervert? At least next time you see Tiger rubbing his croch on the green you'll know what he's really doing!”

  20. bobcheck

    bobcheck Said on 02/09/2010, at 10:23 PM EST

    “First off, Daly was suspended because he shows up for pro-am drunk and proceeded to tee off from a beer can! In another event,Daly shows up drunk after a rain delay, chooses Jon Gruden to caddy for him and plays the remainder of the round drunk! In another incident the same year, Daly gets arrested for being drunk and passing out outside a bar and has his picture splashed across the front pages sleepy-eyed in an orange jail suit! I think those things have more negative affect on the Tour and its image than Tiger cheating! And if Tiger should get suspended for throwing a club or firing off an obscenity, probably a third of the Tour would be suspended for doing likewise! Just in one area involving the 13th hole and 14th tee , at Turning Stone this past year, I witnessed at least 10 players throwing a club or putter, or swearing after a bad shot or missed putt! And that involved just the last 10 groups coming through! Those things happen during the heat of competition! And a lot different than a player showing up drunk during a round and embarrassing himself and the Tour! A couple of years ago at The Masters, I watched VJ Singh hit the ball into a hazard, and not only fire off an obscenity, but take his iron and proceed to smash it into the ground taking out huge chunk of fairway turf! And look at "temper tantrum" Woody Austin! This guy throws clubs,(once saw him get so angry he took his whole bag and threw it into a pond), and physically assaults himself on the head with his clubs! So far, the Tour has never suspended any player, before Tiger or presently, for the reasons of swearing or throwing a golf club!””

  21. macer

    macer Said on 02/09/2010, at 5:36 PM EST

    “1KRats, thank you and I'll give it a go! Macer”

  22. tlbkahuna

    tlbkahuna Said on 02/09/2010, at 2:29 PM EST

    “geezerslice it want matter, he has a lifetime exemption for winning 20+ tournaments.”

  23. clutchcargo

    clutchcargo Said on 02/09/2010, at 2:21 PM EST

    “Seems like a lot of folks are bitter over the short comings of someone's personal life. Let it go and enjoy all the extremely talented world golfer's that are playing week to week. Golf coverage is turning out to be a bit like our current politics, tear down one to lift up the other. Crazy, enjoy the game.......”

  24. spcw

    spcw Said on 02/09/2010, at 1:27 PM EST

    “Who is this Tiger Woods guy everyone keeps talking about? Oh yeah he is that guy who used to play on tour right? Hopefully he stays out long enough that he has to go to Q school to get his card back. ”

  25. geezerslice

    geezerslice Said on 02/09/2010, at 1:10 PM EST

    “I noticed that the world rankings use a minimum events divisor of 40 to determine ranking. Tiger is right at 40 now. If he misses a couple more tournaments, he won't have the minimum number of events over 2 years that's required. What happens then?”

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