Hank Haney Books: Tiger's 'Bizarre Infatuation' With SEALs Training Exposed
Hank Haney's book about his time with Tiger Woods, "The Big Miss," has generated much controversy over the swing coach's exposure of the pro golfer's intimate life. The former confidante is now defending the book amid criticism.
Hank Haney describes the book as "his memories too," giving him the license to share them. While the author claims that the book has mostly to do with golf, he feels he has the right to share other aspects of Tiger's life as well.
One of those things happened to be Tiger's knee injury, which the coach chalked up to Tiger's "bizarre infatuation" with Navy SEAL training, according to his website. Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, disputes those claims.
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"Tiger's injuries, and how they occurred, were exactly as described at the time they happened. Despite repeated claims that this is a golf book, it's not," Steinberg wrote in a statement.
"The thing about this so called unwritten code. I mean, there is no code, it's not a doctor-patient relationship," Haney told the host Tuesday on "CBS This Morning." "I understand that people have that idea and that feeling, and I knew that when I wrote the book. I was very comfortable with that."
"The bottom line really was, I felt like these are my memories as well as Tiger's," added Haney.
Haney was Tiger Woods' swing coach from 2004 to 2010, and during that time the pro golfer had an unprecedented level of victories, winning six major championships and numerous other tournaments. While coaching, Haney stayed at Tiger's home, and witnesses various personal aspects of the legendary athlete. Despite exposing some of those aspects, Haney claims the book is about golf.
"I don't feel like I went into his personal life … other than where it really affected his golf," Haney told the hosts of "Mike & Mike" an ESPN radio show. "I stuck to the things that had to do with golf."
"The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods" also mentioned Tiger's relationship with his wife, Elin Nordegren, as well as the Nov. 29, 2009 incident where Tiger ran his car into a fire hydrant, setting off the chain of events that would lead to the exposure of a sex scandal.
Steinberg called Haney's narrative "self-serving," while being "full of guesses and false assumptions." Tiger Woods, too, admitted that he would not read the book, and was "livid" about it being written, according to "Mike & Mike."
"The Big Miss" will be released March 29.
