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Avoiding Annika?
Aired May 19, 2003 - 13:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: PGA champion Vijay Singh pulling out of next week's Bank of America Colonial after winning the Byron Nelson Championship in Texas yesterday. Singh told reporters he promised his wife he'd take the week off. But his sudden lack of interest might have more to do with another woman.
CNN's sports reporter Larry Smith joins us with more.
LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: That's how rumors get started, Miles.
O'BRIEN: You know, I guess you could say he has kind of a colonial attitude toward women. Could you go there?
SMITH: Oh, boy. We're five seconds into this. Do you want to go there that early?
O'BRIEN: Is anybody buying the story?
SMITH: I don't think anybody is. I mean, I think that if he had played this week, he would have played in six tournaments in a row going into the U.S. Open here next month, up in Chicago. But this is kind of one of those situations, where, you know, he made a statement. He knows he's going to get hammered by the media, every single day, every chance that someone puts a microphone in front of his face, and it's clear he'd rather avoid the issue.
O'BRIEN: Exit stage right. All right, to what extent does this damage his career? Obviously still playing some fine golf. It's not hurting him on the course.
SMITH: It doesn't damage his career. He's one of five multiple winners this year. He's fourth on the money list this year, with $2.9 million, after he won a million yesterday in the Byron Nelson. It doesn't damage his career as far as that goes.
There are other people that have said some negative things about Annika playing this weekend in the Bank of America Colonial. But certainly, it's an issue that's not going do go away any time soon. Certainly whenever he returns, next week at the Memorial, he can be sure the microphones and cameras will be there to ask him the same question; they're not going to go away.
O'BRIEN: They're not going to go away. It's got to hurt a little on the endorsement side of things, doesn't it?
SMITH: I don't know what Vijay does in endorsements. I don't think it will be that much. I mean, he didn't -- he's going to -- they'll PR their pay and spin their way out of this. It may be a thing, too. If in fact, we can hear what he have to say. This is what he tried to say yesterday and tried to explain why he's not playing. Maybe a PR move in its on. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIJAY SINGH, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I promised my wife if I won this tournament or won last week, I'm going to take the week after off. So I finally I won this week, I'm withdrawing from next week. I won't be playing there.
QUESTION: Are you worried about the criticism.
SINGH: No, just it's nothing about next week's tournament, just played four in a row. And the U.S. Open is around the corner. I just need to prepare for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: If this is part of a PR spin, certainly avoiding the issue, he can't dig himself any deeper if he's not there.
O'BRIEN: Who knew that golfers were good at the backstroke, too.
All right, Larry Smith, thank you very much. We appreciate you injecting a little dose of skepticism...
SMITH: Just a little.
O'BRIEN: ... into Mr. Singh's attempts to backpedal.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 19, 2003 - 13:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: PGA champion Vijay Singh pulling out of next week's Bank of America Colonial after winning the Byron Nelson Championship in Texas yesterday. Singh told reporters he promised his wife he'd take the week off. But his sudden lack of interest might have more to do with another woman.
CNN's sports reporter Larry Smith joins us with more.
LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: That's how rumors get started, Miles.
O'BRIEN: You know, I guess you could say he has kind of a colonial attitude toward women. Could you go there?
SMITH: Oh, boy. We're five seconds into this. Do you want to go there that early?
O'BRIEN: Is anybody buying the story?
SMITH: I don't think anybody is. I mean, I think that if he had played this week, he would have played in six tournaments in a row going into the U.S. Open here next month, up in Chicago. But this is kind of one of those situations, where, you know, he made a statement. He knows he's going to get hammered by the media, every single day, every chance that someone puts a microphone in front of his face, and it's clear he'd rather avoid the issue.
O'BRIEN: Exit stage right. All right, to what extent does this damage his career? Obviously still playing some fine golf. It's not hurting him on the course.
SMITH: It doesn't damage his career. He's one of five multiple winners this year. He's fourth on the money list this year, with $2.9 million, after he won a million yesterday in the Byron Nelson. It doesn't damage his career as far as that goes.
There are other people that have said some negative things about Annika playing this weekend in the Bank of America Colonial. But certainly, it's an issue that's not going do go away any time soon. Certainly whenever he returns, next week at the Memorial, he can be sure the microphones and cameras will be there to ask him the same question; they're not going to go away.
O'BRIEN: They're not going to go away. It's got to hurt a little on the endorsement side of things, doesn't it?
SMITH: I don't know what Vijay does in endorsements. I don't think it will be that much. I mean, he didn't -- he's going to -- they'll PR their pay and spin their way out of this. It may be a thing, too. If in fact, we can hear what he have to say. This is what he tried to say yesterday and tried to explain why he's not playing. Maybe a PR move in its on. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VIJAY SINGH, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I promised my wife if I won this tournament or won last week, I'm going to take the week after off. So I finally I won this week, I'm withdrawing from next week. I won't be playing there.
QUESTION: Are you worried about the criticism.
SINGH: No, just it's nothing about next week's tournament, just played four in a row. And the U.S. Open is around the corner. I just need to prepare for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: If this is part of a PR spin, certainly avoiding the issue, he can't dig himself any deeper if he's not there.
O'BRIEN: Who knew that golfers were good at the backstroke, too.
All right, Larry Smith, thank you very much. We appreciate you injecting a little dose of skepticism...
SMITH: Just a little.
O'BRIEN: ... into Mr. Singh's attempts to backpedal.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
