Biggest jerk on the tour?

[jetsknicks1]

I think some of you are confusing his ultra competitiveness with arrogance...a common mistake only hightened by ones dislike of Tiger (or any golfer). The guy is competitive...thats how someone who is the best in the world at what ever they do gets to being the best in the world...through hard work and being ultra competitive. You dont become number 1 at anything by being a nice bloke, someone you would introduce to your mum and have around for tea. Regards Mailman

Agreed. Just because Tiger doesn't wave to every fan who shouts his name or chat up the player he's paired with, doesn't mean he's a jerk. IIRC, Jack wasn't a beloved figure for most of his career and Michael Jordan wasn't exactly Mr. Personality while on the court either.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Tiger is quickly replacing Poulter as the biggest jerk on tour.

Your proof of this is what exactly? Tiger is both respected and liked by his fellow PGA Tour pros. As is Vijay Singh (prior to recent events anyway).

[Chas]

Among tour pros, Tiger was well known for being unsocial during and right after events - he would just jump in the limo and leave. I overheard a certain player, now on the senior tour, discussing this with someone at Torrey years ago. Well we found out at least partly why that was. But you get the feeling his behavior is changing - if so it's about time he grew up some but no, it doesn't make him a jerk.

[atb5079]

Originally Posted by iacas

And yet, PGA Tour pros by and large think Tiger's a pretty good guy. He attends press conferences, even after he's lost an event (unlike many players), answers questions, and is respectful to opponents.

He doesn't treat fans with "very little respect" at all - he ignores them, by and large, but what do you want him to do? Hug them all? Ignoring them and focusing on the task at hand is not the same thing as "treating them with very little respect."

He's also won 78 PGA Tour events and 14 majors. Maybe if he was a "nice guy" like Phil Mickelson - who skips press conferences with regularity when he's played poorly, etc. - he'd have half as many wins and a third as many majors or so in five extra years on the PGA Tour… like Phil Mickelson (who fellow PGA Tour players generally dislike, btw).

I agree with you on TW. He may not be Mother Teresa, but just because he ignores fans while he is playing, doesnt make him an *******. He is a competitor. Baseball players dont come out of the dugout during a game to talk to fans and sign autographs; TW does need to either.

What players don't like Phil? I certainly get a facade of a persona from Phil, but I dont know about any players actually not liking him other than Tiger.

[minitour]

There's a reason Phil has been slapped with the moniker "FIGJAM" and it isn't because the guys on tour love and respect him.

[Chas]

Phil generates a certain amount of envy on the tour, I'm quite sure of that. No one likes to be reminded that they're a grinder by comparison. And he gets a lot of off-course news coverage, usually very positive. He was just in Target here in San Diego buying lots of stuff for local kids, photo in the local paper. Difficult for some to deal with perhaps. The guy does talk a lot, some may find him garrulous. Then again, some tour players do better the less they talk ....

[dzjc]

The PGA tour (and LPGA for that matter) is a microcosm of the world, with the same type of jerks and non-jerks as other industries.  How many of us have worked with (or known) jerks in our places of work?  I'm sure everyone has had to deal with jerks at one time or another.  Why should it be any different for professional golfers?  Or professional football players?

Dale

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by dzjc

The PGA tour (and LPGA for that matter) is a microcosm of the world, with the same type of jerks and non-jerks as other industries.  How many of us have worked with (or known) jerks in our places of work?  I'm sure everyone has had to deal with jerks at one time or another.  Why should it be any different for professional golfers?  Or professional football players?

Dale

Who is suggesting that it should be different? The thread is about who these players might be, which is slightly more interesting than discusing who is a jerk at the local hardware store.

[Tknockajima]

The biggest ass on tour, by far, is Bubba. Can't watch this guy play, as every shot he or his caddie/servant are constantly yelling at folks in the gallery. This guy is just full of himself. I'm not a Tiger fan, but he's a million times nicer and more professional then this idiot ( personal life aside).

[canadianpro]

I have a tendency to agree...he tends to blame bad shots on everybody, his caddie or everything if he is playing badly. I like the way he gets the ball around the golf course but have a feeling all is not nice about Bubba

[jsgolfer]

I have a tendency to agree...he tends to blame bad shots on everybody, his caddie or everything if he is playing badly. I like the way he gets the ball around the golf course but have a feeling all is not nice about Bubba

I worked the AT&T; National last year and during suspended play during rain, I was under an overhang and a couple of the caddies came under the same overhang to wait for the play to start, and Bubba is exactly who they said was the biggest jerk on the Tour.

[jsgolfer]

As for announcers, Gary McCord is nothing like his tv personality. He was a dick when I was a walking scorer at the 2003 US Senior Open and keeping score for his group.

[Tknockajima]

Too bad about McCord. I hope Feherty is as cool a guy as he appears to be in real life. Back to Bubba, I agree with CanadianPro that it can be fun to watch him work the ball, but the guy is just unlikable and I just watch and root against him. He played a marvelous final round at Riviera yesterday but I couldn't support him. Loved when Stadler beat him in Scottsdale.

[Foursum Golf]

Many people believe that Rory Sabattini is the biggest jerk on tour, due to his behaviour inside and outside of the ropes.

I'd have to definatly agree.

I know these posts are 5 years old but I had to comment. I saw Rory at the 2007 Presidents Cup in Montreal. He was unbelievably interactive with the crowd and spent a lot of time taking pictures and signing autographs. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself. I was pleasantly surprised.

[Foursum Golf]

Tiger has been pretty good the times I've seen him in practice rounds. Another Presidents Cup example. A fan beside me said something to him to try to get his attention, Tiger turned around and said, "Pardon?"

The fan then said, "I just want you to smile for a picture." Tiger chuckled.

Then posed for the picture..

He got a good laugh from the gallery.

[snapfade]

John Cook. I was a caddie during the old MCI Heritage back in 2000. I was hanging around the driving range watching my guy hit boomerangs all over the place. Anyways I had grabbed an extra scorecard and was milling around asking for autographs if the pro wasn't hitting. Lots of them just hung around shootin the breeze. Well I asked John Cook and he snatched the card and grunted and singed it and gave it back. I looked him dead in the eye and told him I hope you miss the cut.

Fred Funk was in my group. Laughed my butt off all 18 holes. Bet on everything. Billy Mayfair, Nick Price, all good guys. Oh and Fred's caddy at the time was Fanny, Nick Flado's old caddy. Needless to say she could make a sailor blush.

[caniac6]

Cook signs your card, and you tell him you hope he misses the cut? A caddie asks for an autograph on the range, the pro signs, but doesn't act like it's the highlight of his day? What am I missing, and who acted like the biggest jerk in this situation? Mabye this wasn't the proper time to be asking for autographs, but he did sign, and you thanked him by wishing he missed the cut rather than just thanking him. Sometimes it is good to take the high road, and be the better man.

[David in FL]

Cook signs your card, and you tell him you hope he misses the cut? A caddie asks for an autograph on the range, the pro signs, but doesn't act like it's the highlight of his day? What am I missing, and who acted like the biggest jerk in this situation? Mabye this wasn't the proper time to be asking for autographs, but he did sign, and you thanked him by wishing he missed the cut rather than just thanking him. Sometimes it is good to take the high road, and be the better man.

Gotta agree. That's one of the douchiest things I've ever heard of someone saying........ :-O If I was a pro and heard my caddie telling another tour pro that he hoped he missed the cut, I'd can him on the spot.