The latest controversy involving golf great Tiger Woods has been put to rest. On Friday afternoon, Woods apologized for what he described as a “joke” made to his friend and fellow pro golfer Justin Thomas during the opening round of the Genesis Invitational on Thursday.
The incident occurred when Woods outdrove Thomas on the ninth hole and then, as the two started walking down the fairway, Woods slyly handed Thomas a tampon. The moment was captured on camera and quickly went viral, drawing criticism from some for its potential implications for sexism.
Woods, however, insists it was meant to be all in good fun between friends and that it was not intended to offend anyone.
“If I offended anybody, it was not the case, it was just friends having fun,” Woods said after shooting a 3-over 74 in the second round at Riviera Country Club on Friday. “As I said, if I offended anybody in any way, shape or form, I’m sorry. It was not intended to be that way.”
Thomas was clearly in on the joke and the two started laughing immediately after he realized what Woods had handed him.
This isn’t the first time that Woods has been in the spotlight recently. He has only played in one competitive event since the British Open last July and Friday marked only his 11th round since his car crash in Southern California in 2021.
Woods was able to put this latest controversy to rest, but it serves as a reminder that athletes need to be aware that, even in moments meant to be private, they are still in the public eye and any jokes or comments can be misinterpreted.
