Why Tag Heuer Dropped Tiger Woods

On Wednesday, Tag Heuer announced it had severed all ties in its relationship with Tiger Woods, which it called "very beneficial to both parties." The watchmaker said the "sensitivity of some consumers" was a factor.

It was a 10-year partnership,but he company stopped using images of Woods in U.S. promotions back in Dec. 2009, the month after his auto accident outside his Florida home led to revelations of multiple infidelities in his marriage.

We are confident that Tiger will eventually regain full trust with the public, and that his huge talent and mental strength will help him overcome his difficulties,” CEO Jean-Christophe Babin said in a statement. “We wish Tiger all the best for the future endeavors in golf, with new business partners, and in his private life.”
Tag Heuer's decision comes one day before Woods tees off in the 2011 PGA Championship, trying to end a career-worst 21-event winless streak dating to Nov. 2009, just before the accident.

Since news of Woods' extramarital affairs came to light, he has lost endorsement deals with AT&T, Accenture and Gatorade. He has been retained by EA Sports, Nike and Upper Deck.

Fantasy Golf Buy, Sell or Hold for the WGC-Bridgestone Invite

A lot going on in golf this week as there are two tournaments and Tiger Woods returns to action.  Our buy, sell or hold this week will be for the WGC-Bridgestone which will be played at Firestone C.C. in Akron.

I'm doing pretty well with these abbreviated picks now, so let's keep it going.  Next week is the PGA Championship in Atlanta, so buckle up!

Buy:

Matt Kuchar (A)

Dustin Johnson (A)

Steve Stricker (B)

Hunter Mahan (B)

Sean O'Hair (B) - Playing well

Jeff Overton (B) - Has been a solid play all year. T-6 here in 2010.

Darren Clarke (C) - Coming off British win

Adam Scott (C) - T-9 here in 2010

Sell:

Geoff Ogilvy (A)

Kyung Tae Kim (B)

Ross Fisher (C)

Hold:

Padraig Harrington (A) - Take a chance, he was solid here last year.

Tiger Returns to Golf Next Week

Tiger Woods will return to golf at next week’s World Golf Championships event, more than two months after withdrawing from the Players championship with knee and ankle injuries.

Woods, who originally was injured during the Masters in April, missed the U.S. Open in June and British Open in July, stalling his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles.

Woods announced his plans to play in the U.S. PGA Tour event at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, in a statement today on his website. The tournament starts Aug. 4.

“I’m excited to get back out there,” Woods said in the statement.

The Bridgestone Invitational is the last U.S. event before the PGA Championship, golf’s final major of the season.

Woods will play in the tournament without longtime caddie Steve Williams, who was fired by the golfer on July 20 after 13 years together.

Longtime friend, Bryon Bell will be his caddie.

Woods, 35, hasn’t played in a tournament since May 12, when he pulled out of the Players championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, after nine holes.

Tiger Woods Out of Players Championship After Nine Holes

Tiger Woods withdrew after nine holes at The Players Championship on Thursday because of leg injuries that sent him limping off the course toward the lockerroom and towards an uncertain future.  When will he be healthy and play again?

Woods shot a 42 on the front nine, walking some 20 yards behind his playing partners, holding his club for support and limping more noticeably with each passing hole.

After taking a bogey on the par-5 ninth, he handed his card to PGA champion Martin Kaymer, then walked back to inform Matt Kuchar that he was leaving early.

It was his first competition since the Masters, where Woods said he hurt his left knee and Achilles' tendon while hitting from pine straw in the third round. He described it as a "minor injury" and skipped the tournament last week to give his leg time to heal.

McIlroy Holds Big Masters Lead, Can He Be Caught?

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, shot a 2-under-par 70 yesterday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, to reach 12-under par at the season’s first major championship.  He holds a four-shot lead, the biggest going into the final round since 1997 and Tiger Woods.   McIlroy, who turns 22 next month, is seeking to become the second-youngest Masters champion after Woods.

Angel Cabrera of Argentina, the 2009 Masters champion, is four strokes behind McIlroy, as are Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, K.J. Choi of South Korea and young Jason Day of Australia.
Cabrera, who also won the 2007 U.S. Open, will be paired with McIlroy in today’s final round.

McIlroy’s 54-hole lead is the biggest since Woods held a nine-stroke advantage 14 years ago. Woods went on to claim the first of his four Masters titles by a record 12 strokes, a win that came 3 1/2 months after his 21st birthday.

McIlroy was seven years old at the time and said he recalls watching  Woods' victory with his father.  Now he has the chance to duplicate the feat.  After struggling on Saturday, Woods is seven strokes off the lead, but don't count him out.

If Woods gets off to a strong start, the players ahead of him will start to feel the pressure and anything could happen.  Watch out for Cabrera though, this is the type of situation where he tends to play well, and K.J. Choi played well on Saturday.

Those two will keep McIlroy within their sights and hope to catch him on the back nine.