Jun 20

Tiger Woods handles his baby's birth with class, rather than Phil Mickelson crass

Much of what you need to know about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson can be found in the very different ways they handled the birth of a child. Mickelson turned one of his kids’ births into a media event, making sure everybody knew about his beeper vigil at the 1999 U.S. Open. Mickelson couldn’t have played the Mr. Mom role up better for all those fawning sponsors to see if he brought in Michael Keaton.

The only surprise was that Mickelson didn’t invite Katie Couric to report live from the delivery room.

Tiger, on the other hand, couldn’t have handled the birth of his daughter this week with more dignity. He didn’t turn the U.S. Open into a story of Tiger Daddy. He let the focus stay on golf, and some of the other golfers. He offered no distraction excuses when he finished second for the second straight major. He stuck around for the trophy ceremony, gave Angel Cabrera his props and then quietly went home for the birth. Which he informed the world of in understated fashion on his web site.

That’s Tiger class as opposed to Mickelson crass.

It’s a safe bet that Sam Alexis Woods will not be used in photo-op moments on the 18th greens of tournaments either. There will be no repeats of Mickelson’s now charmless: Release the kids! at every camera click chance.

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18 comments

Comment from: One-Putt [Visitor]

Any bets that Sam will learn to snorkel long before she ever touches a golf club?

2007-06-20 @ 06:07

Comment from: Jan [Visitor]

How do you know that the baby may have been due in three weeks or more and tiger was suprised as the rest of us that the baby was born so early. Or maybe it was induced early whereas Phil let nature take its course. You have NO IDEA>!

2007-06-20 @ 06:55

Comment from: JR [Visitor]

you are such an ...... you must rely on
the good graces of others not to hold you
accountable for the things you say.

2007-06-20 @ 08:11

Comment from: Brian [Visitor]

You are and ass with no class. When Phil allows the
Media access to something personal you
complain. When they don't you complain!
You don't know why Phil did what he did or
why Tiger did what he did so how can you
say one is a class act and the other is
crass. In my opinion you are a lazy,
superficial columnist that needs to work
a little harder to write a real story.

2007-06-20 @ 12:28

Comment from: BV [Visitor]

LOL...."Brian"....you MUST know what they say about 'opinions'...right??

Thanks Chris, for giving Lefty the razzing he deserved! ;)

2007-06-20 @ 13:22

Comment from: Mike [Visitor]

I am a Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson fan. The handling of this situation is just another indicator that we won't get to know Tiger or his family. What the Mickelson's have done to allow golf fans to get to know them is exactly what golf fans and the game of golf need. Tiger will go down as the greatest player of all time, but he certainly won't be mentioned like an Arnold Palmer as being an ambassador of the game. Sure he gives something to the game through his foundation, etc., but it's on his terms. He never seems to be concerned with giving what the fans or the game needs. It's a shame! Being that good and drawing that much attention offers plenty of opportunities to make an impact. Tiger needs to look around and see what impacts need to be made.

2007-06-20 @ 13:24

Comment from: gpro55 [Visitor]

Ever think that maybe for Phil the birth of a child is more important than golf? It shows you where each man's priorities lie. Over the years Phil has taken alot of crap from the media on the very fact that his family is more important than any golf tournament. As for his kids coming onto the green to celebrate a victory, you act as if Phil is the only one that has ever had that happen.

2007-06-20 @ 14:03

Comment from: SDTerBear [Visitor]

I can' believe your comment on this! YOU are a stupid jerk and should never have anything in print...unless it's to rile us all up. What a thing to say. Who the hell cares if Tiger chooses golf over the birth of his girl (you can bet if it was a baby-boy Tiger cub there'd be a BIG hub-bub) or whether Phil has his kids (and his boy looks like a girl in all fairness, tee-hee) run onto the green. Almost all the guys who win have their wives and sticky kids show up...remember Zach smooching his baby? Sheesh, show a little tact and class! Try and find something important to write about.

2007-06-20 @ 17:01

Comment from: lee preist [Visitor]

Alas someone who sees Phil for what he is. An Attention seeking whore!
The best article i have read in years!

2007-06-20 @ 17:13

Comment from: Gilly [Visitor]

golf is so much more important than kids anyway. it's the records that last forever, the wives and kids don't. go tiger. and go phil too. :)

2007-06-20 @ 18:18

Comment from: foxie [Visitor]

What is wrong with you--how can you say that about Mickelson-he is a fabulous father--he had a bad day-Tiger was swearing and carrying on when he hit in the rough also and thats why many people dont like him -he is crass and rude to most people!!

2007-06-20 @ 20:33

Comment from: golffan [Visitor]

There are those people who will always like Mickelson for his continual touchy-feely and down-home personality while conveniently disregarded his F-bombs.

Tiger Woods is truly a phenomenal golfer whether or not people like him or not.

By the way, all those down-home golfers aren't always as nice as people have seen on TV. For example, Zach Johnson snarled at people and whinned bitterly at the USGA. He was hopping mad after his sinal round when a baby cried on the 18th green. He was about to let the gallery have it when he was told that it was his son who wailed.

The fact is none of the fans really know the golfers up-close-and-personal. Mickelson is better at acting than Woods, that's all.

2007-06-20 @ 22:09

Comment from: nancy gagnon [Visitor]

Wow, I'm a huge Tiger fan, and I don't care for Phil, but to say he uses his kids...pretty judgemental.

2007-06-20 @ 22:15

Comment from: Simon [Visitor]

Phils baby in 1999 was due on the SUNDAY of the US Open. That got out and obviously the media asked what he would do, he answered honestly. Tigers baby was not due for another 3 weeks! It was not even an issue for the media going into the US Open so he wasn't asked. To twist that into saying Phil is crass and Tiger class is pure crap!

Golfan - I have never heard Phil drop an f-bmb and I have watched lots of golf. Tiger has dropped plenty from what I have watched.

2007-06-22 @ 07:21

Comment from: Tom [Visitor]

Tiger needs to be more careful than Phil. He gets more death threats from the crazies out there.

2007-06-22 @ 12:41

Comment from: General Fan [Visitor]

You have no idea what the motivation from either golfer is. Both of these men could have have had perfectly appropriate reasons for the way they handled the birth of their first child. Both men are great for the game of gold in general. Other than a pathetic sense of envy you have no basis for critisizing either of these men for the way they handled a very personal decision.

2007-06-23 @ 01:00

Comment from: Rick Montenegro [Visitor]

WHAT? You're not going to mention Michelle Wie????

Idiot.

2007-06-25 @ 19:33

Comment from: Michael [Visitor]

Hmmm, okay. On one hand, Tiger brings the sports in-your-face bravado (remember the playoff vs Els? Ernie makes a long putt that Woods must match and makes a subdued, classy reaction. On the next hole, Tiger does the same, but emphasizes it by his trademark in your face antics) and entitlement (yes, he is the world's best golfer, but does that mean he can have fans move a boulder which is next to his ball? Remember THAT stunt?) Meanwhile, Phil - a good guy in the likes of Tim Duncan - is called crass because he was willing to possibly leave a golf tourney because of his child's birth? Wow, OK.

2007-06-30 @ 14:39

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