Remember the 2013 Players Championship controversy between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods. Garcia later made a “fried chicken” comment and apologized, saying it was just a foolish remark. However, the American professional immediately denied it and said it wasn’t silly but hurtful and inappropriate. It was a clear example that Woods is very serious about everything on the golf course and about the sport.
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That’s exactly why he refused to let a fun two-word banter from the 2000 Presidents Cup slip away. Instead, he chose to answer with his game and didn’t speak with Vijay Singh or his caddie, Paul Tesori, for a month.
At the 2000 Presidents Cup, the International Team was the underdog. So, to add some energy to the environment, the caddies and staff had made “Tiger Who?” hats for team members. During the Sunday Singles, Woods was paired with Vijay Singh. The Fijian professional’s caddie, Paul Tesori, decided to wear that hat for the matchup. Both found it funny, but Woods didn’t.
Sharing Tesori’s version of the story told to him by Michael Collins of the Caddie Network, Kevin Van Valkenburg stated that Woods, who didn’t play well throughout the week, noticed the hat on the fourth hole. The veteran golfer gave Singh a death stare on the green. When the Fijian golfer understood it, he turned to Tesori and told him that Woods had noticed the hat, and he didn’t like it.
“So Vijay [Singh] goes over to Tiger [Woods] on the 15th fairway to congratulate him on winning the Presidents Cup, and Tiger says to Tesori, “We’re not done. We are playing this out.’ Tiger’s version of this story is even more intense,” Kevin Van Valkenburg said while sharing the story on The Shotgun Start and Fried Egg Golf. “Tiger actually talked to reporters about this afterwards.
“And he said what he said to Vijay was, ‘Don’t forget us. Don’t forget me. I’m right here, and I’m looking you right in the eye.” I didn’t want him to back off. I wanted him to give me everything he had. I wasn’t going to lie down, and he wasn’t going to lie down. I wanted him and I know he wanted me.”
“So Tiger wins 2&1. And he’s also asked during this media interview if he said anything to Vijay about the hat, and Tiger says, ‘I didn’t have to. 2&1.’ So Tiger refuses to talk to VJ for like a month at this point, and they keep getting paired together in tournaments going forward.”
Tesori then went to Tiger Woods at the World Golf Championship 2000 at Valderrama. He apologized and said he didn’t mean to be disrespectful. Woods accepted his apology, and then the two started joking about it 12 years later. The veteran caddie blurted out “Tiger Who?” once, and the veteran golfer replied with “What’s up 2&1.”
Now, it is one of Tiger Woods’ favorite stories. He makes Tesori tell it at every team event they are part of.
Valkenburg also said that Tesori, at one point, got both Woods and Vijay Singh to sign that hat.
The incident showed Tiger Woods’ competitive mindset and how seriously he took even a playful jab. But as things cleared out, it is now a fun memory for him.