Tiger Woods apologized Friday for his prank the day before when he gave his friend Justin Thomas a tampon during the first round of the Genesis Invitational, earning criticism in the media and on social media.
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“If I offended anyone in any way, I’m sorry. It was not my intention,” Woods said after his second round at the Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles.
“It’s just that we joke with each other all the time. It was just a joke between friends for fun and it was obviously not perceived as that, ”he regretted.
It was halfway through, after the 9th hole, that the 47-year-old golf superstar put the stamp in the hand of Thomas, who laughed at it before dropping the object on the ground.
Which was not to the liking of many people.
“Really, Tiger,” lamented USA Today columnist Christine Brennan to denounce the “immature” attitude of the winner of 15 Grand Slams.
“Woods’ message to Thomas was obvious. It’s been the guideline of silly and often insecure boys for generations: you play like a girl,” she said.
The reactions also fused on social networks. “Treat me as a “woke” (a person aware of the injustices and inequalities that surround him, editor’s note), say that I am touchy or that I feel too easily offended. But giving a stamp to another golfer is objectively not funny,” wrote an anonymous on Twitter.
For others, on the other hand, the anger felt is “excessive”, even “manufactured”.
Woods, who struggled in his second round, may not make the cut and therefore go all the way in the tournament, marking his return to the greens after seven months out.