Tiger Woods hires George W. Bush's spin doctor to help revive his image
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Tiger Woods (left) and Ari Fleischer (right)
Tiger Woods has reportedly turned to Ari Fleischer, the former presidential advisor to George W. Bush and the man who helped restore the steroid-shattered image of Mark McGwire, to help prepare a strategy for his wildly anticipated comeback to golf - at the Arnold Palmer Invitational starting March 25 at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla.
“They were in his living room this week going over a strategy for how to handle Bay Hill in two weeks,” one source told New York Post.
Another source said, “I would be shocked if he didn’t play the Arnold Palmer.”
According to sources, Palmer told some close confidants that Woods is playing Bay Hill. The organizers of the tournament are preparing for an extraordinary media presence.
Woods’ longtime friend and neighbor, Mark O’Meara, told Golf Channel yesterday that he “wouldn’t be surprised” to see Woods make his anticipated return at the Tavistock Cup, a made-for-TV inter-club event on March 22-23 at Isleworth, Woods’ home course outside of Orlando.
Woods has been avoiding the media since his public apology on Feb. 19 and asked for the advice of Fleischer to be able to stand out and take questions. Fleischer formed the firm Ari Fleischer Sports Communications in 2008. The company focuses on crisis response and control, and is a joint venture with IMG Sports & Entertainment. Woods is represented by IMG.
[Source: New York Post]