The Loop

Woods not happy about Haney's new book

January 19, 2012

Six major championships and 31 PGA Tour wins were the numbers that defined the successful, yet highly-scrutinized six-plus year partnership between Tiger Woods and Hank Haney. If it were up to Woods, the details of that relationship would end there.

Instead, Haney's new book, "The Big Miss", co-authored with Golf Digest Senior Writer Jaime Diaz, seeks to offer unprecedented insight into his time as the golf superstar's instructor. Not surprisingly, Woods isn't too pleased.

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Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

In an interview with ESPN.com, Woods said, "I think it's unprofessional and very disappointing, especially because it's someone I worked with and trusted as a friend."

Woods also isn't happy with the timing of the book, which is set to be released prior to the Masters in April.

"That is what I alluded to earlier," Woods went on to tell ESPN.com. "I just think this book is very self-serving."

Haney responded to Woods' comments from his Twitter handle (@HankDHaney): "The Big Miss is golf history. I observed greattness and am asked about it all the time. I wanted to share it in a fair and honest way."

Woods has not won an official PGA Tour event since parting ways with Haney in May 2010. Now under the tutelage of Sean Foley, he won his first event of any kind at the Chevron World Challenge in December following a successful appearance for the United States at the Presidents Cup.

Woods is scheduled to make his 2012 debut at the Abu Dhabi Championship Jan. 26. His first appearance on the PGA Tour will come two weeks later at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where he will partner with Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Tony Romo.

In a recent announcement about the book's release, Haney said "If [Tiger] reads it, I don't think it will be a book that bothers him."

Even without reading it, Woods is clearly annoyed.

"There have been other one-sided books about me, and I think people understand that this book is about money. I'm not going to waste my time reading it," Woods said.

-- Alex Myers