Tiger Woods is competing in the first round of The Open Championship on Thursday morning.
However, the focus has shifted from his gameplay to controversial comments made by announcers during the featured group broadcast, which have sparked backlash on social media.
One of the announcers suggested that Woods, 48, who was involved in a serious car accident a couple of years ago, might be using painkillers. “You look at the eyes, you gotta think there’s a lot of painkillers being taken,” the announcer said.
Such remarks have been widely criticized as classless and insensitive, especially given Woods’ history of struggles and his efforts to return to professional golf.
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Earlier in the week, Woods made headlines for different reasons when he spoke about an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. “I didn’t accomplish a lot because I wasn’t in the right frame of mind,” Woods told the BBC. “It was a long night [in the wake of the assassination attempt] and that’s all we watched the entire time on the way over here.”
He further elaborated on the impact it had on him, saying, “I didn’t sleep at all on the flight, and then we just got on the golf course.”
The 2024 British Open Championship, airing on USA, has already seen its share of drama, both on and off the course. Woods’ participation continues to draw significant attention, not just for his potential performance, but also for the media scrutiny surrounding him.
Fans and fellow players alike hope that the focus will return to Woods’ incredible career and contributions to the sport.
