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Els: Critical of Tiger

Ernie Els has criticised the timing of Tiger Woods' return to the limelight, saying the world number one's Friday announcement is 'selfish'. Woods will be making a statement in Florida while the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship - the biggest event of the golfing year so far - is being held in Arizona.

Accenture are one of the sponsors that dropped Woods after allegations about his private life broke last November, and Els says that making an announcement about his future during that tournament is a selfish act from Woods.

"It's selfish," Els told a reporter from American magazine Golf Week. "You can write that. I feel sorry for the sponsor. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament."

The news of Woods' Friday announcement has brought mixed reactions throughout the golfing ranks, with sympathy and scepticism being doled out in equal measures.

Rory McIlroy was in no doubt as to the manner of the timing as he said: "He's got to come out at some point. I suppose he might want to get something back against the sponsor that dropped him."

Woods' management agent Mark Steinberg has pointed out that when the star addresses a small gathering of "friends, colleagues and close associates", plus a few selected media, the golf will not have begun at Dove Mountain.

Steinberg also insisted he had contacted a senior Accenture executive to inform him of the decision, and responded to Els' remarks.

"It's always good to get your information right before commenting," said Steinberg. "It's strictly a timing issue. There is a very good reason (for Friday) and not do it next week."

Ogilvy question
Defending Accenture Match Play champion Geoff Ogilvy did not have much sympathy for Woods, and believes he would be better served to answer some questions on his reappearance in public.

"Maybe we can put the whole tournament on hold for 10 minutes to watch," said Ogilvy. "The only thing I will say about it is that I would like to see him answer some questions.

"If he answers some questions then that would make it real because he wouldn't be working off a script. But it's a start - and he's got to start somewhere."

American David Toms added: "We're all going to be interested in what Tiger has to say. It's a huge topic in the locker room, around the lunch tables, everywhere we go.

"We all want to know as players what he's going to do. We hope that he's OK and that he comes back soon." – Source - Skysports.com

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