Celtics center Enes Kanter Freedom, who has criticized LeBron James and Nike for their silence on human rights violations in China, said Tuesday he would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the Lakers star and “educate him” on the subject.
The Hero World Challenge is back after a one-year hiatus. Tiger Woods’ annual offseason event returns Thursday with an expanded field of 20 of the world’s best players. This will be the 22nd edition of the tournament, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. The Hero annually gives us one more glimpse at the sport’s biggest names before golf takes its holiday break. By limiting the field to less than two dozen participants, the Hero is all but guaranteed to finish with a star-studded showdown. The relaxed atmosphere and strong fields have resulted in some memorable moments over the last two decades. Here’s a look at five of the best, from the tournament’s icy beginnings to several Sundays starring the tournament host. Phil’s Chilly Chip Play golf in Arizona in January, they said. It will be fun. During the final round of the inaugural Hero World Challenge in January 2000, hail and rain stormed down on Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Golf Club. Most golfers would see this as a problem. Phil Mickelson saw it as a challenge. Rather than take out a putter on the 18th hole, Mickelson opted to chip over the hailstones. Of course, because Phil is Phil, he chipped in. It was another magical shot from Mickelson with wedge in hand. How many times did he practice this during his college days at Arizona State? The rest of the week was rather forgettable for Mickelson, who at 8 over, finished 11th out of the 12 competitors. Woods also struggled, notching a 10th-place finish at 2 over. But Tom Lehman stared down the hail and birdied five of his final six holes to edge David Duval by three shots. Graeme McDowell completes dream year by beating Tiger In 2009, Graeme McDowell — still not a household name to most American golf fans — pushed Jim Furyk to the brink at the Hero World Challenge. The moment was a warm-up for the monster 2010 season McDowell had on the horizon. He earned his first PGA TOUR win that June in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, outlasting a leaderboard that included Woods, Mickelson and Ernie Els in the top five. At the Ryder Cup, McDowell closed out Hunter Mahan, 3 and 1, in Singles to earn Europe’s clinching point. McDowell also won two other times on the European Tour in 2010. But perhaps no moment was as sweet for McDowell as Sunday at the Hero World Challenge. Starting four shots back of Woods, McDowell went out in 33 to pull within one. McDowell and Woods traded blows on the back nine before coming to No. 18 tied at 15 under. With Woods just a few feet away for birdie on 18, McDowell buried a 20-foot birdie putt of his own to force a playoff. Playing 18 again as the 73rd hole, McDowell drilled an even longer birdie putt on a similar line to snatch a win from Tiger’s grasp. McDowell would establish himself as a stalwart of the Hero World Challenge, winning again in 2012. Tiger roars again in 2011 Woods had to overcome injuries and personal issues in 2010 and 2011. He went winless in both years, something he had not done since turning pro. By the time the 2011 Hero arrived, it had been more than two years since Woods’ last win. But he ended his worldwide winless drought with a dramatic finish at Sherwood. Starting Sunday one shot behind Zach Johnson — perhaps his biggest rival in this event — Woods grabbed a two-stroke lead after back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. Johnson fought back, however, and after a Woods bogey and two Johnson birdies on the next five holes, Johnson held a one-shot lead through 16. But Woods, one year after a playoff loss to McDowell, closed with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 while Johnson parred both holes. The win was Woods’ fifth and most recent at the Hero World Challenge. “It feels good,” Woods said. “I’ve been in contention twice this year, which is not very often. … I pulled it off this time.” Zach Johnson’s hole out You aren’t supposed to upstage the host. But if you do it, you better make it count. Johnson and Woods went head-to-head again two years after Woods’ 2011 win over Johnson. Unlike last time, when Woods was trying to end a lengthy winless drought, Woods arrived at his tournament after a season that saw him regain the No. 1 ranking in the world and earn PGA TOUR Player of the Year honors. Johnson would prevail this time, however, and do so with a remarkable shot. The arrived on the 72nd hole tied at 13 under. Hitting his second shot from the left rough, Woods found a greenside bunker. Johnson, hitting next from the middle of the fairway, had a clean shot at the pin. Instead, he came up well short in the water. “It was just bad,” Johnson said. “Just bad.” Johnson followed up his abysmal shot with a spectacular one, holing out from the drop zone for par. His wedge took a few bounces, spun back from behind the hole and dropped into the cup. Woods showed a slight smirk before getting up-and-down for par, narrowly missing his bunker shot for birdie along the way. Playing 18 again for the first playoff hole, Woods again found the greenside bunker, while a more conservative Johnson hit his approach shot on the far side of the green. Woods failed to get up-and-down this time, and Johnson two-putted for the win. In addition to his five wins at the Hero World Challenge, Woods also has five runners-up. This was his fifth second-place showing in his event. Tiger’s Return 65 When Woods teed it up at the 2016 Hero World Classic, he was more than a year removed from his last PGA TOUR start (and his second microdiscectomy). He opened with a 73, the second-worst score of the day. Justin Rose shot a 74 and withdrew after the round, leaving Woods in sole possession of last place. But Woods flipped the script on Friday, shooting a bogey-free 65 for the third-lowest round of the day. Woods showed at age 40, his game could still compete with the young guns in the field. It was a round that set social media aflame as many wondered if Woods was, indeed, back. “I wanted to keep that card clean,” Woods said. “I don’t know what it is about playing and competing, but keeping cards clean, there’s something really special and it feels pretty good about doing that. Perhaps Woods’ shot of the day came on No. 16, when he slammed in a 35-foot par putt to keep that clean sheet intact and bring back his signature fist pump. Woods shot 70 and 76 the next two days to finish 4 under and in 15th place. Fans would have to wait a little longer to see Woods return to his winning ways. Injuries limited him to just three starts in 2017. He won three times in the following two years, however, including his 15th major and record-tying 82nd PGA TOUR win.
Tiger Woods seemed at peace in front of reporters for the first time since his February car accident. He said he will likely try to come back and play again — when and where and how often is still up in the air.
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Tiger Woods said Tuesday that he’s hopeful he can play some limited golf in the future but said the road back from his February crash has been “a lot of hard work” and he’s “lucky to be alive and still have a limb.”
ALBANY, Bahamas – The carpeted staging in the Hero World Challenge media tent has a table and three microphones, three black chairs, and a red motorcycle. It’s about a foot off the ground. Tiger Woods stepped off it without pause or concern Tuesday, landing on his right leg. Still, he’s not getting overconfident. “I don’t foresee this leg ever being what it used to be,” he said as he sat next to Hero MotoCorp Chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal and answered reporters’ questions for about 35 minutes. It was the first press conference for Woods since his harrowing single-car accident in L.A. on Feb. 23. Surgeons inserted a rod into his right tibia, which had multiple fractures, and screws and pins into his right foot and ankle. Amputation, he said Tuesday, was a distinct possibility in the early stages. He wore a cast, then a boot, then a sleeve. He spent three weeks in the hospital, then three months in a hospital bed at home in South Florida. “It’s hard to explain how difficult that’s been, being immobile for three months,” he said, and especially so for a guy who was so used to spending a good deal of time outside. “I’m lucky to be alive but also to still have the limb,” he added. “Those are two crucial things.” A big moment, he added, was when he could first go outside and feel the sun on his face. The days of him playing a fulltime schedule are over, he said. Assuming the leg continues to get better, he added, he hopes to make limited competitive starts, like Ben Hogan after his own near-fatal car accident. Grateful for what he’s been spared, and what he can still do, Woods, who dressed in black slacks and a black camo shirt, sounded at peace with this career paradigm shift. The rub: He can still contend and maybe even win despite getting only limited starts. “I know the recipe for it,” he said. “I’ve just got to get comfortable doing it.” To be sure, comebacks have defined his career. When Woods won the 2018 TOUR Championship, he broke a five-year win drought. When he won the 2019 Masters Tournament, after four operations on his back, including a career-threatening fusion surgery, it was his first major in over a decade. When he won the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan later that year it was after making bogeys on his first three holes. Then he went 3-0-0 as playing captain of the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup Team. Defying expectations is what he does, but that magical late-career stretch took a toll in 2020. Perhaps understandably, Woods looked tired. He hit three balls in the water and made a 10, the highest score of his career, at the par-3 12th hole at the (November) 2020 Masters. He and Charlie stole the show at the (father-son) PNC Championship in Orlando almost exactly a year ago, but it turned out his back was hurting again, necessitating a fifth surgery, a microdiscectomy to remove a disc fragment that gave him nerve pain. He hosted but did not play The Genesis Invitational. Then came the accident. Hogan came back from a head-on with a bus. Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with stress fractures and a torn ACL in his left knee. But now? Even he can’t say for sure. He had the big talk with his family, asking for their blessing in this next comeback, if the right leg behaves. They gave the green light. “Maybe one day it’ll be good enough where I can get out here and compete against these guys,” Woods said of his right leg. Nine days ago, he posted a three-second video of himself hitting balls on the range, and that brief glimpse of his swing – the perfect tempo, crisp contact, bacon-strip divot – sent fans into a tizzy. But what of his speed? It wasn’t there in his lackluster 2020, and after the accident it will be even harder to get it back. He admits the right leg tires easily and doesn’t hit the ball as far. He jokes about needing to play from the forward tees. He’ll turn 46 next month. Could he play in the 150th edition of The Open Championship at St. Andrews next July? He allowed that he certainly wants to. He’s a two-time Open champion there, and loves the course. “Physically, hopefully I can,” he said. “I’ve got to get there first.” No matter what, he can still host the Hero, where Collin Morikawa could take over world No. 1 with another win. He can host the Genesis, text members of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, attend his kids’ sports events – soccer games for daughter Sam, tournaments for son Charlie. And to be sure, his accomplishments will forever stand alone, just as they are. Five Masters, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, three Open Championships, 15 major titles in all, three behind Jack Nicklaus. Two PLAYERS Championships, two FedExCups, 106 worldwide wins. Six USGA national championships before turning pro, two Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year awards, three AP Male Athlete of the Year awards. It will be 25 years next April since his ’97 Masters win. The Tiger Slam in 2001 made him the first to hold all four men’s professional majors at the same time. Gary Koch’s “Better than most” call as Woods won his first PLAYERS will live forever. And we’ll never forget Woods sobbing on Steve Williams’ shoulder after winning the 2006 Open; dodging fans in the 18th fairway at the 2018 TOUR Championship at East Lake; hugging Charlie after his 2019 Masters win. Will there be more? Woods, who admitted to feeling pain in his legs and back as he answered questions, sounded fine, either way. There are eight new players in the field for this year’s Hero, and he said he’s looking forward to seeing how they do. He’s happy to be back amongst friends like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth this week. “I miss the jabbing, the needling, catching up with the guys,” he said. “There’s only so much you can do on text.” In other words, he’ll be mixing it up with the best in the world one way or another. That, jarring as it may seem, is the paradigm shift. Tiger has made it. Can we?
Georgia State has canceled its men’s basketball game Wednesday against Tennessee State because of COVID-19 protocols and injuries.
