EA Sports Sticks By Tiger Woods

From www.incgamers.com:

EA has said that its relationship with disgraced golfer Tiger Woods will not change, despite the recent events in the athlete’s private life.

Woods made a statement to fans on his website yesterday, apologising for his transgressions and for letting his family down, after reports that the golfer had been ‘playing away’. Games from the Tiger Woods franchise, including the recent Tiger Woods PGA tour 2010, have been among EA Sports’ flagship titles in the last few years, but will the gaming giant be distancing itself from Woods following the controversy?

“Our strong relationship with Tiger for more than a decade remains unchanged,” EA told GI. “We respect Tiger’s privacy, we wish him a fast recovery and we look forward to seeing him back on the golf course.”

Congrats to Tiger!!!!

For winning the AT&T National at Congressional over the weekend!

Tiger Falls in Second Round of Accenture Match Play

Tiger has an .842 winning precentage in his career at the Accenture Match Play tournament leading into today’s matchup with South African Tim Clark; however, that winning precentage dipped to .821 after Clark defeated Woods 4 & 2 today in the second round.  The key stat in the match was where Clark was bogey free, and Tiger made three.  The Back Nine Blog would love to welcome Tiger back to PGA action and wishes him the best the rest of the season.

Tiger Off to an “Ideal Start” in Return

I’m assuming I can speak for the PGA here by saying “WELCOME BACK TIGER!”.  Tiger advances easily to the round of 32 in the Accenture Match Play due to a hot start.  This afternoon, Tiger defeated Aussie Brendan Jones 3&2.  Tiger was quoted as saying “I got off to probably an ideal start.  I hit a couple loose irons in the middle part of the round.  But other than that, I really hit it pretty good all day.”  Tomorrow, Tiger will tee it up against Tim Clark (ranked 32nd in the world).

Tiger Returns Next Week @ The Accenture Match Play

From ESPN.com:

LOS ANGELES – Tiger Woods says he can hit all the shots in practice and will go to the Accenture Match Play Championship with designs on winning. But he isn’t sure what to expect.

Woods spoke on a conference call Friday and said he hasn’t experienced in a while the excitement he gets from competition.

Woods will end his eight-month absence from competition Wednesday outside Tucson, Ariz. He has not played since capturing the U.S. Open on June 16 in a playoff over Rocco Mediate. Woods won despite hobbling on shredded knee ligaments and a double stress fracture in his left leg.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

Update on Tiger’s Return to PGA Action

Everyone is anxiously awaiting Tiger’s return to competitive golf, and it looks like we may not be waiting too much longer.  In a newsletter that was posted on his website, he is currently “full bore” on his practices.  Tiger said the following on www.tigerwoods.com:

“I’m full-bore with my practice sessions and have no restrictions,” Woods posted on his Web site, tigerwoods.com. “It’s just a matter of getting my golf endurance up. I don’t have my golf stamina back yet.”

This morning Tiger was on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPNRadio.  Click the jump below to read the ESPN article from Bob Harig, as well as a video from Tiger’s appearance on Mike & Mike.

EASW Producer Blog: Mike DeVault

EA Sports World has posted a blog entry from Mike DeVault, Senior Designer for Tiger Woods PGA Tour for the PS3 & 360.Like the previous blog with Eric Busch, there is no game info disclosed, simply background on DeVault’s career.

A little background about me…I’ve been working here at EA Tiburon for about 7 ½ years now. Starting in our QA Department, I worked my way up through the Production ranks and ultimately into a Sr. Designer role. I feel both privileged and honored to not only work at EA, but to contribute to the Tiger Woods franchise.

We’ve got a lot of great new features that we are adding to this year’s game. I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to everyone who has ever posted feedback and suggestions for new features. We really do value and use that feedback in the design and decision making process.

Click here to read the entire blog entry.

Peter Moore Blog: The stars come out for the launch of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09

Enjoy today’s blog below from EA President Peter Moore…

Another Tuesday, another EA SPORTS title launch. Just on the way back to San Francisco from New York City, where yesterday we had a whirlwind series of events and announcements culminating in
a star-studded launch event at Strata on Broadway. Tiger, as always was the consummate professional – prompt, polished, articulate and genuinely funny and relaxed. We began the day with a series
of satellite television interviews with Tiger discussing the game, as well as answering the obvious questions about his rehab (he is well into his therapy program, but was non-committal about a return
date to the tour).

Tiger Talks About Playing 09

Woods’ golf limited to video game

By The Associated Press – 10 hours ago

The only golfing Tiger Woods is doing these days is in video games.

“I do play quite a bit,” Woods said. “A heck of a lot more now.”

The world’s top-ranked golfer has been sidelined since winning the U.S. Open in June, recovering from surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ligament.

Woods said in a telephone interview that he plays friends in tournaments on EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour game. He plays as self-created characters: “One’s a really buffed-out dude,” another is pudgy.

EA Sports launched the ’09 version of the game this week, and also announced a partnership with Gillette. Woods is one of the “Gillette Champions” in marketing for the shaver maker.

Woods said he actually learns from playing the virtual courses.

“I’ve had certain putts I had in real-life competition break the same way and by the same amount,” he said. “It’s amazing.”

He expects to be out swinging real golf clubs in January, but said it’s too soon to know when he’ll be able to compete again.

“It’s frustrating. I really have no idea,” he said.

Tiger’s 2008 Season Over…decides on season-ending knee surgery

From ESPN & AP:

Tiger Woods has decided to have surgery on his left knee, which will end his 2008 season.

Woods said on his Web site that Woods will have surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. He also wrote that he needs time to rehabilitate a double stress fracture of his left tibia, which he said was discovered just before the Memorial Tournament in late May.

Woods skipped that event, but played 91 holes in winning the U.S. Open in a playoff over Rocco Mediate.

Woods said no date has been determed for the surgery.