Tiger Woods hits a ball on Tuesday during an event to promote the upcoming Turkish Airlines Open golf tournament on the Bosphorus Bridge, which links the city’s European and Asian sides, in Istanbul. Photo: IC

 

World No.1 Tiger Woods will welcome any move to sit down with USA Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson, and "clear the air" before next year's Ryder Cup at ­Gleneagles, Scotland, Woods said Wednesday.

Watson was extremely critical of Woods in the months following revelations in late 2009 of Woods' many extramarital affairs. And at the recent "One Year to Go" celebrations in Scotland ahead of the 2014 Ryder Cup, Watson again indi­cated, "I have not talked with Tiger ­privately and I will have to sit down and have a conversation with him."

Woods was questioned on the subject on Wednesday as guest of honor at a packed news conference ahead of Thursday's start of the $7 million Turkish Airlines Open.

The event is the third in the European Tour's Final Series and with Woods ­being the only non-European Tour member competing.

"No, we haven't spoken yet but I am sure as we have another year plus or about a year ahead of us, so there will be a lot of time between now and then to talk," said Woods.

Woods also defended his decision not to contest last week's $8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

The 14-time major winner instead spent the week after his Match at ­Mission Hills against Rory McIlroy ­attending to corporate engagements as well as hosting junior clinics in Macao and Singapore.

Giles Morgan, Head of Global Sponsorship with banking giant HSBC, last week indicated that Woods' absence is 'something, from the tour's point of view, that needs to be looked at."

Woods had a simple response saying, "I am an independent contractor." And then when asked, "But what is your thinking then as an independent contractor," Woods answered, "That's it."

Woods appeared on the front cover of most Turkish newspapers on Wednesday morning following Tuesday's his­toric occasion when the visiting American became the first-ever golfer to hit a golf ball from the Bosphorus Bridge that links the European continent with Asia.

Traffic was stopped for 30 minutes as Woods hit golf balls down three lanes of the six-lane suspension bridge.

Woods is competing in Turkey for a second year running after being a member of the elite number of golfers who participated in last year's Turkish Airlines Invitational and an event where most players, with Woods an exception, wore shorts.

AFP - Global Times