“….Where Art Thou Tiger?”

Ever since the seemingly minor accident on Nov 27, 2009 in Florida that involved Tiger Woods (his wife’s presence at the scene was initially thought to have been to help him but rather she was there to knock him senseless with a 3-wood) he has not been seen since. What transpired at the accident scene was mired with murky circumstances without anyone the wiser on what really happened, even now.

Eldrick Tont Woods better known as Tiger had come off clean from day one.There was no attempt on his part to deny nor to spin stories. He could not have as there were his conquests 14 of them (now 15). They were ever ready for a 'tell all',telling bedtime stories, of their times with Tiger, to whomsoever - for a fee (even complete with voice mail messages)

Tiger could not therefore talk otherwise except for the only recourse he took with his statements on his web-site, where he apologized and explained - but nowhere was he to be seen. It was rumoured he was heading to the Bahamas in his luxury yacht but the yacht had not moved. It was still at its moorings at the pier.

When he played at the Mines Golf Resort at Sungai Besi way back in 1999 he could command an ‘appearance money’ of RM1 mil (USD?)just to be present and only just to play (winnings were extra) With his absence he has now given a whole new meaning to such a thing as ‘disappearance money’. Even when he 'disappeared' he could still be valuable. However, it was not for himself but for those tracking him. It was reported that a paparazzi snapshot of him now is worth USD300k. Whether you see him on the fairways or you don't he can still command big money. Such is the man.

The world’s wealthiest athlete estimated to earn about US$100 million a year in endorsement deals before his troubles were known, is just as priceless, whether he is seen around or otherwise. We are going to feel the void in 2010 though, as he is to lay off golf for the time being.

So golf forthwith will not be described as, a ‘game where 30 white men with clubs in their hands aggressively chasing a black man, and still not able to inflict any harm to the black man’. Now it will be just some ‘white guys chasing each other around the links and the familiar 'maroon-shirted champ’ on the final day is to be sadly missed.

However much the golf pundits insist that it will not affect the game, it is a foregone conclusion that it will. Golf ratings would definitely plummet down tremendously.

In fact in a report today,(according to a study by two economics professors from the University of California, Davis) the sex scandal may have cost shareholders of companies endorsed by Tiger up to a cool US$12 billion (RM41.2b) in losses.

Tiger in the meantime continued to be the butt of jokes from various quarters. The latest had him as a walking sex machine, generously endowed with a penchant for Latinos. He does not need Viagra but brought out the ‘Tiagra’ in him instead.

Actually the journos are the ones having a field day with a vengeance. They could not do it before on a squeaky clean guy, a goody-two-shoes with an unblemished record both on and off the fairways. Now they can.

Tiger would have to take it. When you are down, you are down. You are not to be heard nor to be seen just yet. Take a leaf from what both Bill Clinton and David Beckham had gone through. It was bad when it lasted but now both are respectable gentlemen and walking tall.

There’s a caveat though. While the spouses of both Clinton and Beckham stood by their men, Tigers’s wife Erin Nordegren talked of ‘separate holidays, separate living (she had already chosen a house to go back to in Sweden) and separation’.

It seemed there was a nuptial agreement so there may be a cap to the extent of compensation and Tiger is not facing the prospects of a bottomless pit in alimony payments. It is not 'much' just USD1bil. Erin likewise would have to think real hard, that a bird in hand is worth 2 in the bush so why make a big thing out of it.He's on the defensive, just stay cool and make sure he does not stray too much.

Hopefully both could have the resolve to pick up the pieces and start anew especially with 2 beautiful kids to get them going.