Much has been made of Tiger Woods’ new Nike ad, featuring a stoic black and white image of the golfer, while a voiceover of his late father plays in the background.
While some have already taken exception to the use of his late father’s voice in the ad, adding further fuel to the fire is a new revelation that Earl Woods’ seemingly appropriate message wasn’t even meant for his son.
“Tiger,” Earl Woods is heard saying in the ad. “I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. Did you learn anything?”
However, according to ABC News, the sound bites are from a 2004 interview in which Tiger’s father was speaking – not about the golfer – but about Tiger’s mom, Kultida. The interview was part of the previously released “Tiger: The Authorized DVD Collection.”
In the documentary, where a then-72-year-old Earl Woods (who died in 2006) speaks of his wife, whom he calls “Tida,” his full quote is as follows:
“Authoritarian. Yea, Tida is very authoritative. She is very definitive. ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what you’re thinking was, I want to find out what your feelings are and did you learn anything?”
It was unclear where the word “Tiger” that begins the new Nike ad was pulled from and spliced together with the old quote.
Yet one person who didn’t have a problem with his father’s words being taken out of context in the ad – Tiger himself.
“I think it’s very appropo. I think that’s what my dad would say and it’s amazing how my dad can speak to me from different ways even when he’s long gone,” Tiger told reporters on Thursday after his opening round at The Masters. “He’s still helping me and I think any son who has lost a father who meant so much in their life, I think they’d understand the spot.”
The ad was released on Wednesday – one day before Tiger hit the course at The Masters in Augusta, Ga., to begin his golf comeback.
Following his four-month layoff in the aftermath of his Thanksgiving night crash and subsequent infidelity scandal, Tiger didn’t take long to shake off the rust on the golf course. He finished Day 1 of The Masters with an impressive score of 68 – his lowest round ever at the famed tournament.
The embattled golfer apparently didn’t have a problem keeping his focus on the course either. Despite very blatant aerial plane-flown signs taunting Tiger, which read, “Tiger: Did You Mean Bootyism?” and “Sex Addict? Yeah. Right. Me Too!!,” Tiger said afterwards he never noticed them. The FAA has said that they’re investigating the pilot of plane and his licenses.
Entering Friday’s play, Tiger was just three strokes behind the leader, Fred Couples.
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