{"id":746,"date":"2013-04-10T06:05:35","date_gmt":"2013-04-10T11:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomharack.com\/?p=746"},"modified":"2014-02-27T10:02:11","modified_gmt":"2014-02-27T15:02:11","slug":"tiger-kim-could-have-own-masters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/tomharack\/golf\/personalities\/746\/tiger-kim-could-have-own-masters","title":{"rendered":"Tiger, Kim Could Have Own Masters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watching ABC correspondent Martha Raddatz point out the North Korean landscape\u2019s treeless topography, I couldn\u2019t help thinking: Oh, wow. An inland links.<\/p>\n

Now golf architecture purists will identify this as an oxymoron; normal, better-adjusted people with a basic sense of decency will call it the desperately sick joke that it is. (Raddatz went on to explain that the North Korean countryside had been deforested by the local citizenry, who needed the wood for fuel.)<\/p>\n

Coincidentally, the next day included a bout with the malady du jour<\/em>, hoarding, as I tried throwing out a crate of print publications, mostly magazines, that contain my work. Back in the day (by cracky), these served a kind of purpose, as editors would sometimes ask for writing samples while considering a query. As a practical matter, it was mostly a form of surplus repression, as they\u2019d seldom actually read the stuff. A rare plus for digital publishing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The stacks contained the November-December 2004 issue of Travel + Leisure Golf<\/em>, for which I had written a golf guide to Orlando. The cover featured a beaming Tiger in jacket and tie, with the headline: Swing-Vote Special, President Woods, It Could Happen.<\/p>\n

John Paul Newport, then the executive editor and now golf columnist for The Wall Street Journal<\/em>, wrote the story, which surveyed various political pundits \u2013 Jack Kemp, Joe Trippi, Dick Morris \u2013 on turning Tiger\u2019s popularity to political capital.<\/p>\n

At the time, it provided entertaining insights into the creation of the Tiger public persona; it\u2019s amusing now in light of subsequent developments. (\u201cTiger is an enigma at the moment,\u201d said Walter Isaacson. \u201cUltimately, he will have to let people know what\u2019s behind his mysterious fa\u00e7ade by engaging more actively in the day\u2019s civic, social and political issues.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Still, though Earl Woods, Tiger\u2019s father, may have had something else in mind when he said of his kid, \u201cHe\u2019ll have the power to impact nations,\u201d he did say it.<\/p>\n

Well? I\u2019m pretty sure Dennis Rodman\u2019s dad never said, \u201cDennis will do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity.” Even to a Bulls fan, it was pretty obvious from Rodman\u2019s visit to North Korea that this Kim Jong-un kid just wants attention.<\/p>\n

So how about a friendly match between Kim and Tiger? Golf diplomacy on a massive scale (but without the part about instilling values). China would love to host such an event \u2013 lucky, since I don\u2019t know where you tee it up around Pyongyang \u2013 just for the exposure. And you have to figure they\u2019d be ready for a face-to-face conversation with young Kim over a post-round beer.<\/p>\n

For the actual match, maybe Kim will want to use a body double \u2013 not that easy to find but still doable \u2013 in case his game isn\u2019t sharp. Fine.<\/p>\n

To the cynics who can\u2019t resist the urge to point out the immense promotional value of such a gesture to the game, no argument here. Plus, maybe we can avoid World War III. Tiger, already apparently back to what counts for him as normal, would be unambiguously redeemed of all past transgressions. Hell, we could even compromise our principles and pay him an appearance fee (har, har).<\/p>\n

Oh, and one other thing, Tiger: We have to ask you to tank this match. Just lose this one time. And bring back some of those great hats they wear in the military.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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