Chamblee apologises to Woods for ‘cheating’ claim

Brandel Chamblee is 'not proud' of the Tiger Woods debate Picture: Getty

In a column Chamblee wrote for Golf.com, he gave Woods an “F” for his five-win season, comparing cheating in a school test with a number of rules violations committed by Woods this season.

“What brought me here was the realisation that my comments inflamed an audience on two sides of an issue,” former Tour professional and Golf Channel analyst Chamblee wrote on Twitter.

“Golf is a gentleman’s game and I’m not proud of this debate. I want to apologise to Tiger for this incited discourse. My intention was to note Tiger’s rules infractions this year, but comparing that to cheating in grade school went too far.”

In the column, Chamblee said Woods “was a little cavalier with the rules,” citing four rules incidents Woods was involved in. Chamblee also wrote of an incident in which he cheated in a school test.

“When I was in the fourth grade, I cheated on a math test and when I got the paper back it had ‘100’ written at the top and just below the grade, was this quote, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!” Chamblee wrote.

“It was an oft-quoted line from the epic poem “Marmion” by Sir Walter Scott, and my teacher’s message was clear. Written once more beneath that quote was my grade of ‘100’, but this time with a line drawn through it and beneath that an F.

“I never did ask my teacher how she knew I cheated and I certainly didn’t protest the grade. I knew I had done the wrong thing and my teacher the right, but I never forgot the way I felt when I read that quote.

“I remember when we only talked about Tiger’s golf. I miss those days. He won five times and contended in majors and won the Vardon Trophy and ... how shall we say this ... was a little cavalier with the rules.”

Chamblee then gave Woods a ‘100’ but wrote a line through it and followed it with an ‘F.’

Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, said last week that he would “have to give some thought to legal action”.

Woods, who has often been the target of criticism from Chamblee, will be next seen in the Chinese resort of Haiku on Monday, playing Rory McIlroy in an 18-hole exhibition. He will then play in the Turkish Airlines Open, the third event in the European Tour’s new Final Series, the following week.

Meanwhile, the PGA of America may be considering staging the US PGA Championship outside the United States, but golf’s traditionalists can at least be assured that the Open Championship is going nowhere.

“We have discussed it a few times, but very much tongue in cheek,” R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said.

A report in Golf Digest stated last week that a committee is studying the impact of holding the US PGA Championship around the world, with the earliest possible date in 2020.

“It’s very early days so I was a bit surprised to hear of it, but at least they are looking at something innovative,” Dawson added. “When you look at the way golf is developing, having three majors (out of four) in the United States may be difficult to sustain in 50 or 60 years.

“I suppose in some ways we are the easiest to move in that we are the Open Championship, but we are wedded to the best links golf in the British Isles.”