Monday 14th December, 2009 Tight security for Tiger sails away 1st ODI against Sri Lanka

RAJKOT, India (AP) - The first of five limited-overs internationals leaving golf all at sea between India and Sri Lanka will be played under tight security this week with almost 1,500 police deployed to Tiger Woods wrote the ensure player safety. world a farewell note "We have deployed 1,500 policemen and then he headed for including three companies of SRP (State Reserve Police )," Deputy his yacht Privacy. Commissioner of Police Mayank Chavda was quoted as saying by the by Mark Reason Press Trust of India on Sunday. "About 100 policemen have been elevision companies shuddered, deployed at the hotel for the players sponsors gazed at spreadsheets security." Tand contracts and howled at the The first one-dayer will be played at moon. Agents punched away at their Madhavrao Scindia Ground on BlackBerrys as if in search of scrip- Tuesday after India last month won ture. The billion-dollar Tiger industry the three-Test series 2-0. India and Sri is closing down and no one knows when it will open again for business. Lanka shared the two-match Twenty20 Even Woods doesn't know when he series 1-1. will sail back to port. Will he still be At the western city of Rajkot, floating on his ocean of emotion when police will be stationed at the venue as the Masters arrives in April? Will he be well as the Imperial Hotel, where the at St. Andrews for the Open? Will he do two teams will stay for three days, PTI American Corey Pavin a favour reported. Police have also carried out and stay in his cabin when the Ryder searches in other hotels throughout Cup is played in October? the city. Woods's statement, late on Friday, Spectators will pass through metal the usual time for burying bad news, detectors at the ground's entrances, said he was taking "an indefinite break while some 20 closed circuit cameras from professional golf" and apologised have been installed to watch the for his infidelity – a more mature word stands. than "transgressions." His return to Last month marked the first competitive golf will depend greatly on anniversary of a terror attack in the his wife Elin's attitude. The Masters in Tiger Woods seeks privacy in ‘Privacy’ Indian city of Mumbai that left more April would make some sense simply than 170 people dead and prompted because Augusta restricts entry to indi- image from its home page. His televi- shots the conversation will turn to he did was totally wrong and he's got no England to pull out of the last two vidual media who have a history of sion advertisements have not been Tiger's game. one to blame except himself." covering the tournament. But it is not matches of a limited-overs series. screened since the end of November. "I understand his need to sort fami- When the great Barry John walked impossible that as spring turns to sum- The four other one-dayers between Everyone is wondering how long he ly out, but this sort of thing happens away from rugby at the age of 27, at the mer, we will still be scanning the India and Sri Lanka will be played at will be gone and how the world will every day of the week for normal peo- height of his powers, he wrote: "What Atlantic for signs of Tiger. Cuttack, Vishakhapatnam, Kolkota react. ple and they just get on with life. began to depress me and in the end Peter Dawson, chief executive of and New Delhi. Guy Kinnings, the head of IMG Tiger's just had nine months off for his frighten me, was the intensifying public the Royal and Ancient, said when asked Europe, said: "Golf has handled Tiger's knee. He doesn't seem to do a lot of movement towards my own deification. the cost of Woods's absence from this absence before, if for different reasons. work at the moment. "My home life began to suffer and I year's Open: "I can't measure it. We The impact will be on TV viewers and a "Plenty of other sportsmen were became a lodger in my own house. To missed him last year, he's the No 1 play- few PGA Tour tournaments. seen as bad boys and just got on with an extent my wife and little daughter I will be there for you, er in the world, but it didn't have a seri- Hospitality and the events associated life. David Beckham is now a saint and became strangers. Jan said to me sever- ous effect on crowds. The British TV with Tiger might be affected, but there Ian Botham has a knighthood. Their al times: 'Why don't you talk to me any says Tiger caddie Williams ratings were good but it certainly will also be huge anticipation for his subsequent sporting achievements over- more?' Tiger Woods’ caddie Steve Williams: "I affected those in the States." return." came their past. I don't know what "I could barely bring myself to utter am committed to him. I understand he Those American TV figures were Some American tournaments have Tiger is going to do all day. more than a grunt or two at home. needs a break to sort his personal stuff even worse at the 2008 US PGA contracts up for renegotiation next "I'm sitting here at the Belfry with Personal life went out of the window to out. And I will be there for him when he Championship. When Woods was win- year and others are looking for spon- blokes about to go out and play golf. It such an extent that if my wife had fall- wishes to return to play," he told New ning the title in 2007 the numbers were sors. Next month features the Bob Hope doesn't make any difference to them en down the stairs and broken a leg it Zealand's Sunday News. at nine million. The following year, Classic and the San Diego Open, both of what Tiger does. No one man should be would have taken me a few days to Woods said on Friday he would take an when a couple of Europeans were fight- which are looking for title sponsors. that influential and I don't think he is." realise." indefinite break from the game having ing it out in his absence CBS's audience The San Diego Open was formerly the The blokes down at my local cafe John's despair is a powerful per- admitted to infidelity in his marriage. had dropped to four million. Buick Invitational in the days when almost approve of what Woods has done suader as to the corrosive nature of "Tiger just said he needs a break and I CBS president Sean McManus said Buick sponsored Woods. Now there is because it makes him one of them. celebrity. Woods can sail away from the don't want to put any pressure on the guy," "We've obviously done golf tourna- just a financial black hole. They see him as a slightly immature world on a yacht called Privacy, but it added Williams, who has caddied for ments without Tiger before, but we all Peter McEvoy, one of Britain's great person with a great talent who lost con- will be a doomed voyage unless he fol- Woods since 1999, including 13 of his 14 know how much better they do when amateurs, a course designer and gener- trol of his testosterone. But the corpo- lows 'King' John and disappears into the major victories. Tiger is playing well on the weekend. A al golfing entrepreneur, thinks that the rate brands do not want you or I to sunset for ever. Golf is still shuddering "He will know in his mind, and his tournament with Tiger Woods is a effects of Woods's demise are being know that Tiger likes fart jokes. at the prospect. family will know in their mind, when it is much bigger sport." greatly exaggerated. He said: "I don't Who can say if Tiger is deserving of the right time for him to return to playing Golf is running scared at the feel it's a big hit for the game. If he our sympathy or whether we should golf," he told the newspaper. moment. Sponsor Accenture was (C) The Telegraph comes back at the Masters, after a few agree with Craig Parry who said: "What (C) The Telegraph reported to have removed Woods's Group, London, 2009 Group, London, 2009

Unbeaten half-tons (134) and took his stand from Imran Farhat and with Iain O’Brien - his fel- Thailand on top Salman Butt saw Pakistan low destroyer in the SSC Open Badminton C’ships go to stump on day three Pakistan innings, when of the final Test against the pair took four at SEA Games New Zealand in Napier on apiece - to 62 before the The SSC Open VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) - latter was neatly 128 without loss, still 128 Badminton Weightlifters and athletes put Thailand runs behind the hosts’ by Kamran Akmal to give Championships 2009 has on top of the medal table at the first-innings effort of 471 spinner Danish Kaneria now reached the final Southeast Asian Games on Sunday, all out. his sixth . stages. while a Filipino air force seargent set a Earlier, Pakistan That left Tuffey reliant Finals worked out hammer throw record despite his train- reached 72 on Chris ing being hampered by a recent on Sunday,Dec.13 without Martin - typhoon. loss at tea. Test were; As the biennial tournament The Farhat, Butt average Open Mixed approached halfway point, Thailand hosts 2.30 - to Doubles: had 29 golds against Vietnam’s 25 and added just commence see him The Open Mixed Singapore was in third place with 23. five runs through Doubles final was Khunchai Nuchpum won the after lunch to a cen- between top seeds men’s above 94-kilogram weightlifting as two fightback tury. with a total lift of 345 kilograms - 155 Niluka Karunaratne and quick wick- The in snatch and 190 in clean and jerk. ets left Daryl Tuffey improbable - arguably Renu Chandrika De Suthiphon Watthanakasikam took the stranded on a Test-best unfeasible - did not hap- Silva and Dinuka gold in the below-94 kilogram category, 80 , but their tally pen as Martin contrived to Karunaratne and Lekha with a combined lift of 360, surpassing of 471 represented a lead be dropped by Misbah-ul- Shehani. his own record of 347 he set in 2007. of 248. Haq on the way to a four- The Niluka- The 24-year-old Suthiphon’s top Farhat - who carried ball duck, the 28th time Chandrika duo won the snatch score of 168 also surpassed the his bat for 117 not out in he has been dismissed SEA Games record of 156 he set in first set 23-21 in a Pakistan’s dire first for nought in a Test 2007, and was 33 more than second innings - and opening innings. thriller. The second set place Mohd Faiz Musa could muster. partner Butt made a was also keenly contest- In the clean and jerk, Suthiphon - strong start but the Scores: Pakistan 223 ed, but Niluka and who was part of Thailand’s Beijing tourists have plenty of and 128 for 0 (Butt 66*, Chandrika won the set Olympics team - failed at 200 kg, but work ahead if they are to Farhat 55*) 21-15 to clinch the Open his 180 in the first try had already get something from the New Zealand 471 Mixed Doubles title, sealed his victory. A second lift of 192 topped the match record of 191 set by match. (Vettori 134, Tuffey 80*, while Dinuka and Tuffey had put on 87 Tuffey 76*, Kaneria 7-168). countryman Khunchai Nuchpum in Shehani were runners- with captain (cricket365.com) 2005. up. Open Mixed Doubles winners Niluka Karunaratne and Renu Chandrika De Silva.

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Monday 14th December, 2009