Tommy quoted in USA Today

USA Today December 4, 2009
Report: Tiger's mom, Elin's mom were at the house

Kimberly Harris, who was one of the neighbors on the scene after Tiger Woods' crash last week outside his home, told police Woods' mother and mother-in-law were at the home the night of the crash, according to an audio recording of the interview obtained Thursday by the Associated Press.
Woods has faced intense media scrutiny after a car accident outside his home early last Friday morning and sordid allegations of affairs. In a 317-word statement on his website Wednesday, Woods acknowledged he had "let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart."

The audio recording of an interview the FHP conducted with Woods' neighbors was obtained Thursday by the AP through a public records request. Troopers interviewed Jarius Adams, who called 911, and his sister, Harris.

Harris told troopers that Woods' mother, Kultida, and mother-in-law, Barbro Holmberg, were at the scene. The AP could not independently confirm whether the two women were present.

"Did they ever talk to anybody at the scene that showed up, any emergency workers or anything?" a trooper asked Harris.

"The cops came, the Windermere cops came first, then the security guards came," Harris said. "And then it appears Mr. Woods' mom, and Tiger's wife's mom came out after the fact. I don't know if they heard the commotion, I don't (know) if she, his wife, left and came back. But they walked across the grass and were outside as well."

A voice that strongly resembles Woods' mother is heard in the background during the 911 call saying loudly, "What happened?"

Canceled:

A lawyer for a New York woman who has denied having an affair with Tiger Woods canceled a news conference scheduled for Thursday in Los Angeles. Attorney Gloria Allred said the news conference was canceled for unforeseen circumstances. Allred told the Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that there will be no further statements on the matter. Allred earlier had planned to make a statement about Rachel Uchitel's relationship with Woods. Last week the National Enquirer published a story alleging the world's No. 1 golfer had been seeing Uchitel, a New York nightclub hostess. Uchitel denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by the Associated Press.

Rookie seminar:

The media frenzy surrounding Woods is extreme for golfers, but all PGA Tour rookies are given instruction about media relations and personal conduct when they finish qualifying school. It's part of a two-day orientation that comes after Q-school, which is underway in Florida. This year the orientation will be Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We'll tell them the same thing this year that we tell them every year," said Rick George, the Tour's chief of operations. "We talk about our image; our code of conduct and the personal brand of the player."

With new forms of media —Facebook, Twitter and cellphones with cameras — George said players must be more cautious about their conduct. "Once you step out of your house there is no privacy," he said.

Agents also try to instruct young golfers about their image, said Tommy Limbaugh, who owns 4U Management in Orlando. "I basically tell young players that they have a great opportunity to make a living playing golf, but with it comes a great responsibility," Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh said golf as a sport has a lot of integrity, but "the golfers are human and they make mistakes. John Daly has struggles. The public knows about them. But people are forgiving."

Limbaugh, a former college football coach, said public trust is important to a player's career.

"The key to getting endorsements is that companies think the public will trust you," he said. "When you lose that trust you lose the ability to attract those endorsements."