I heard first-hand, twenty years ago when Tiger was emerging as a star, different accounts. This was before the days of digital cameras, mind you.
I met a sports photographer who was covering a PGA tournament at Torrey Pines; he was in line getting his film developed at the local 1-hour place. He told me that Tiger, at the tender age of only 20, was the most arrogant young man he had ever met, by both his words and actions. Really, I replied? Yeah, the photog replied, it’s just that everyone — EVERYONE — is covering for him because he is young, handsome, and black. No one wants to crack the facade.
I never forgot this conversation. So, I for one was not surprised when, 10 years later, it finally came out that Tiger lived a wild, reckless life, cavorting with ugly prostitutes and worse. It’s the inevitable outcome for someone with bad character who is protected by the media.
My point was not about Tiger’s character but about the public relations training he received. The two are unrelated.