Woods says grand slam irons are in his garage
Source: Agencies |
May 6, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
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TIGER Woods says the Titleist irons offered online for a minimum bid of US$250,000 were not the ones he used to win four consecutive majors.
eBay believed him enough to take the item off its Website on Tuesday.
Steve Mata, a former Titleist representative who worked with Woods when he swept the majors, said Woods gave him the irons during the 2001 Buick Classic in New York when it was time to change out the grooves.
"He may have my set of irons, but they're not from those tournaments," Woods said at The Players Championship. "They're in my garage."
Woods said he used two sets of irons for his "Tiger Slam," which began with his 15-shot victory in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and ended 294 days later with his victory in the 2001 Masters. Players often change irons when the grooves get worn. Woods said both sets are in his garage.
Woods switched to Nike irons in October 2004. The only club he uses not made by Nike is his Scotty Cameron putter.
Mata, whom Titleist dismissed after the 2008 season, used a friend to put the irons up for bid on Monday. He said after Woods' press conference, the item was removed. An eBay representative said only that the irons were taken down because of an apparent violation.
Mata stands by his claim.
"I did all his work for him on tour when he was at Titleist," Mata said in a telephone interview.
"We made up two sets of irons because no two sets are ever identical. I wanted to give him an option. He was in the pro-am at Westchester and I gave him the irons."
Mata said Woods took the new set and gave him the irons he had been using.
"He said, 'Keep them, they're yours.' And I said, 'What? Are you kidding me?'" Mata said. "I turned to another Titleist employee and said, 'Does he know what they are?' And Tiger said he knew exactly what they are."
eBay believed him enough to take the item off its Website on Tuesday.
Steve Mata, a former Titleist representative who worked with Woods when he swept the majors, said Woods gave him the irons during the 2001 Buick Classic in New York when it was time to change out the grooves.
"He may have my set of irons, but they're not from those tournaments," Woods said at The Players Championship. "They're in my garage."
Woods said he used two sets of irons for his "Tiger Slam," which began with his 15-shot victory in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and ended 294 days later with his victory in the 2001 Masters. Players often change irons when the grooves get worn. Woods said both sets are in his garage.
Woods switched to Nike irons in October 2004. The only club he uses not made by Nike is his Scotty Cameron putter.
Mata, whom Titleist dismissed after the 2008 season, used a friend to put the irons up for bid on Monday. He said after Woods' press conference, the item was removed. An eBay representative said only that the irons were taken down because of an apparent violation.
Mata stands by his claim.
"I did all his work for him on tour when he was at Titleist," Mata said in a telephone interview.
"We made up two sets of irons because no two sets are ever identical. I wanted to give him an option. He was in the pro-am at Westchester and I gave him the irons."
Mata said Woods took the new set and gave him the irons he had been using.
"He said, 'Keep them, they're yours.' And I said, 'What? Are you kidding me?'" Mata said. "I turned to another Titleist employee and said, 'Does he know what they are?' And Tiger said he knew exactly what they are."
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