Tiger Woods didn't mince words when asked if he considered calling Sergio Garcia after "The Pulled 5-Wood Heard Around The World" at The Players Championship to finally make up, put their rivalry to bed and just "chill."

"No," Woods replied with a slight smile after a short pause (watch the video below).

The incident in question has been dissected since the Players ended with Woods claiming his fourth win this season. Sergio said the crowd noise after Tiger pulled a club from his bag caused Garcia's mishit on the par-5 2nd hole at TPC Sawgrass. Woods said a marshal told him Sergio had already hit. Two marshals said that never happened. Two different marshals spoke otherwise.

Whatever the truth is, Woods has his story. And he is sticking to it.

"Obviously, the matter has been put behind me. The truth came out. As I was saying the entire time, I told people what I had heard and what had happened," Woods told the USA Today's Steve DiMeglio after a press conference promoting the AT&T National on Monday.

You can watch video of Tiger's press conference below. We're eagerly awaiting Sergio's response.

(Photo: AP)

 

After Sergio Garcia complained about Tiger Woods pulling a club before Garcia had played his shot on the par-5 second hole of the Players Championship on Saturday, Woods said that a marshal had told him Garcia had already played his shot. One marshal on the hole told Sports Illustrated that he did not tell Woods that Garcia had played the shot, but another marshal told the Florida Times-Union that he did talk to Woods about Garcia’s shot, although he talked to Woods after – not before – Garcia played his shot. From the Florida Times-Union:

Two Players Championship marshals who are part of the walking escort team for Tiger Woods are disputing an account in Sports Illustrated of the incident involving Woods and Sergio Garcia during the third round last Saturday.

Garcia claimed that Woods distracted him during his second shot at the second hole when Woods pulled a fairway metal out of his bag to hit out of the left trees, drawing a response from the crowd.

Woods said he was told by a marshal that Garcia, on the far right side of the fairway, about 50 yards away and obscured from Woods’ view, had already hit before he selected a club. Replays have since shown that the crowd made noise when Garcia was over his ball, but not in his backswing.

Two Players marshals, John North and Gary Anderson, were quoted by SI as saying that Woods didn’t ask any marshals about Garcia's status, and none was given.

But two volunteers -- marshal Brian Nedrich and escort Lance Paczkowski -- told the Times-Union that they did communicate with Woods about Garcia's shot.

Both said the claims there was no communication between Woods and volunteers are wrong and said that Woods was only mistaken about the sequence of events.

“It is not true and definitely unfair to Tiger,” said Nedrich, who was a marshal at the second hole. “That’s because I was the one Tiger heard say that Sergio had hit.”

While Woods was mistaken in his post-round comments about when he was told about Garcia's shot, Woods was not being intentionally misleading, the volunteers said.

“It’s disingenuous to suggest that Tiger is a liar because he got a minor detail wrong,” Nedrich said. “Basically, he told the truth.”

“Tiger Woods did not lie,” Paczkowski said. “Was there a small mistake in what he remembered? Yes. But I don't think it rises to the level of lying.”

"The comments from the marshals in today's [Times-Union] story definitively show that Tiger was telling the truth about being told Sergio had hit," said Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent, in a statement. "I hope this demonstrates to some reporters the importance of accuracy and not jumping to misplace conclusions."

 

Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods during the third round of the 2013 Players Championship.

Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia had a misunderstanding on the par-5 second hole at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday that reignited the two golfers' longtime feud. However, the marshal who was following the group said Woods's explanation for his actions on the hole was not true, according to Sports Illustrated's Michael Bamberger. [See update below.]

In the third round, on the 2nd hole, Woods hit a poor tee shot into the left trees. García hit a better tee shot, on the right side of the fairway. If the players had been communicating properly, García and Woods, or their caddies, would have established an order of play. But there was nothing like that. García, playing out of turn but not able to see Woods, was disrupted as he started his swing by a modest cheer from the woods, where a large group of spectators had surrounded Tiger, forming a human V around his ball. The cheers were a response to Woods’s pulling a five-wood out of his bag, meaning that he was going to attempt an absurdly difficult recovery shot. García, after fatting his shot, turned his round chin in Woods’s direction and glared.

“It’s very simple,” García said during an NBC interview. “You have to pay attention to what’s going on because the other guy is hitting. You do something when you’re in the crowd, and the crowd is going to respond.”

Returning serve, Woods said, “The marshals, they told me he already hit, so I pulled a club and was getting ready to play my shot, and then I hear his comments afterward and it’s not real surprising that he’s complaining about something.”

Well, when they heard that remark from Woods, the marshals were surprised. One of them, Gary Anderson, said on Sunday, “He didn’t ask us nothing, and we didn’t say nothing. We’re told not to talk to the players.”

Anderson’s boss, John North, was the chief marshal for the first three holes. He stood over Woods’s ball to protect it from the throng and was five feet away when Woods played his shot. North has worked the tournament as a volunteer marshal for 30 years, he’s a graduate of the Naval Academy, he served in Vietnam, he’s a FedEx pilot and he donates his round on the Stadium course for being a volunteer to the Wounded Warriors project.

“Nothing was said to us and we certainly said nothing to him,” North said. “I was disappointed to hear him make those remarks. We’re there to help the players and enhance the experience of the fans. He was saying what was good for him. It lacked character.”

Hours later, his workweek done, North watched the tournament on TV in a military appreciation tent. “I hate to say it, but I was rooting for him,” North said of Woods. “It tears me apart. But when he’s winning..."

 

UPDATE: According to The Florida Times-Union, a different marshal at the second hole said that he told Woods that Garcia had hit after Garcia hit his shot. Brian Nedrich, a marshal at the second hole, said Woods was wrong about the time sequence -- Woods had already grabbed his club before the marshal told him Garcia had hit -- but that Woods did communicate with volunteers. “It is not true and definitely unfair to Tiger,” Nedrich said of claims that no marshal said anything to Woods about Garcia. “That’s because I was the one Tiger heard say that Sergio had hit.”

In a follow-up interview Wednesday morning, North said that, with an earpiece in one ear, it was possible that other officials had an exchange with Woods that he did not hear. He said he was beside Woods's ball as he prepared to play his shot but was as much as 20 feet away when Woods actually swung. He said his statement about "character" was based on his understanding that no marshal had said anything to Woods.

Oh, Sergio. There he was, standing on the 17th tee Sunday, tied with his nemesis, Tiger Woods, and he hit not one but two balls in the water.

Instead of adding another Players Championship trophy to his collection, and sticking it to Woods after their public spat on Saturday, Garcia instead added another chart-topper to his collection of on-course meltdowns.

Below are some his other "highlights." Not included is Garcia's waggle-fest at Bethpage, where he was heckled mercilessly by the rowdy New York crowd. (Sergio eventually gave them the one-finger salute.)

Sergio Spits in a Cup
It doesn't get much worse than this. The best part is when Jimmy Roberts grills Garcia about why he did it, and Sergio just hems and haws. 

Sergio 1, Microphone 0
"If you thought you heard something after Sergio hit the ball, you did. It was Sergio hitting our microphone."

'The Ball Goes Right, The Club Goes Left'
That about sums it up ...

Bunker Bash!
Was Sergio's best bunker meltdown this one ...

... Or this one?

Shoe Toss
No piece of equipment is safe from Sergio's temper, including his shoes.

Chip In, Flip Out
Yes, Sergio even gets mad after chipping in!

Posting a 6-under round at Augusta National on Thursday, Sergio Garcia looks as comfortable as his countryman Seve Ballesteros, who won twice here. But unlike his hero Ballesteros, Garcia has never been a fan of Augusta National. After finishing T38 in 2009, Garcia called the course unfair.

"I don't like it, to tell you the truth. I don't think it is fair," Garcia said. "Even when it's dry you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway. It's too much of a guessing game."

Asked what he would change about the course, Garcia said, "They can do whatever they want. It's not my problem. I just come here and play and then go home."

He apologized a few days later.

"Out of frustration, I blamed the golf course instead of putting the blame where it belongs, on myself. I didn't get it done this week," Garcia said. "Augusta National is one of the most iconic golf courses in the game and playing in the Masters each year is an honor. I apologize to the members of Augusta National and the fans who rightfully treasure this golf course."

He was true to his word in 2012, blaming himself, not the Augusta National course, after a disappointing Saturday 75 knocked him of contention.

"I'm not good enough," Garcia said. "In 13 years, I've come to the conclusion that I need to play for second or third place."

"Do you think I lie when I talk? Everything I say, I say it because I feel it. If I didn't mean it, I couldn't stand here and lie like a lot of the guys do," Garcia said. "If I felt like I could win, I would do it. Unfortunately at the moment, unless I get really lucky in one of the weeks . . . I can't really play much better than I played this week and I'm going to finish 13th or 15th."

On Sunday of the 2012 Masters, Garcia shot a 1-under 71 to finish T12, but it didn't cheer him up and he doubled-down on his "not good enough" comment.

However, in 2013, Garcia is feeling better about his game. He got his first PGA Tour win in more than four years at the Wyndham Championship in Augusta, and he sounded sanguine about his chances at Augusta National during his post-round interview on Thursday:

Q. Thought you hated it here (laughter).

SERGIO GARCIA: No, I mean, well, obviously it's obviously not my favorite, my most favorite place, but you know, we try to enjoy it as much as we can each time we come here. Sometimes it comes out better than others, but today it was one of those good days. And you know, let's enjoy it while it lasts.

Q. Did it help you that you had maybe that lower expectation coming here?

SERGIO GARCIA: Lower expectation, maybe that's what you say. Every time I tee off in a tournament, my goal is to play the best I can and have a chance at winning. So it doesn't change this week. Like I said, today was a nice day. It was one of those days that you really, really enjoy, and, you know, hopefully I'll have three more of those and we'll see what happens on Sunday night.

 

Photo: Getty Images

Tiger Woods is No. 1 in the world ranking again and it looks like he's claiming his spot as No. 1 trash talker in the game as well.

After Woods won at Bay Hill on Monday to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings, he got a congratulatory text from the previous No. 1, his friend Rory McIlroy. Here's Tiger's response, according to McIlroy.

Q. Did you ring him Rory? Tiger was saying yesterday there's a banter between the two of you on this subject.

RORY MCILROY: I texted him this morning. I thought I would just let it all sort of die down yesterday and texted him this morning. He's ready to go and play at the Tavistock. Texted him said, "Well done." Hadn't spoken to him in a couple weeks. Just congratulated him and stuff as well and he said everything was good there. Told me to get my finger out of my ass and win this week.

Add this one to Woods's legendary digs, including his note to pal Darren Clarke after Clarke beat him 4 & 2 at the Accenture Match Play in 2000 ("Enjoy it you fat f---") and his text to a buddy after beating a canary-yellow-garbed Serio Garcia in the final round of the 2005 British Open ("I just bludgeoned Tweety Bird.")

Photo: Woods and McIlroy at the WGC Cadillac Championship in Miami (Getty Images).

We're familiar with the three iron. But this might be the first time we've seen Sergio break out a "tree iron."

On Sunday afternoon at Bay Hill, Sergio Garcia's tee shot on the par-4 10th hole got hung up in a tree. Undeterred, Garcia shimmied up into the branches, turned his back to the hole, and punched his ball into the fairway en route to a double-bogey six. Garcia parred his next two holes before played was suspended because of a storm, and he withdrew from the tournament during the delay.

 

 

 

Sergio Garcia will have to pay more U.S. taxes after a judge rejected his argument that 85 percent of his TaylorMade endorsement is royalties for the use of his image, and thus exempt from U.S. taxes, according to Bloomberg.com.

Garcia argued unsuccessfully that 85 percent of his income from an endorsement agreement with TaylorMade Golf Co. stemmed from image-derived royalty payments shielded from U.S. taxation because they flowed through a Swiss business entity and because he’s a resident of Switzerland.

Judge Joseph Goeke in Washington ruled that “the compensation paid by TaylorMade under the endorsement agreement is allocated 65 percent to royalties and 35 percent to personal services.”

Goeke said that the royalty portion of the income was exempt from U.S. taxes under the Swiss Tax Treaty and that all payments for personal services earned in the U.S. are taxable. Garcia’s case centers on a disputed $1.7 million in his taxes in 2003 and 2004.

Even though Garcia will pay more in taxes, the case is a win for professional golfers and a loss for the IRS. According to Bloomberg, the IRS had claimed that all endorsement earnings should be taxed as personal-service income. Garcia's 65 percent royalty/35 percent personal services tax breakdown is a better deal than fellow TaylorMade endorser Retief Goosen received in a similar case decided in 2011. A different judge ruled that Goosen's deal was 50 percent royalty and 50 percent personal services, according to Bloomberg.

Both the Garcia and Goosen cases involved the division of payments between those for made for a golfer’s image and those based on “personal services,” which include factors like how well he plays.

The difference is important because royalty earnings typically are taxed less heavily under tax treaties than personal services income.

Taken together, the two cases send the message that “the bigger name is going to get more favorable tax treatment,” said Tony Nitti, a partner at the accounting firm of WithumSmith & Brown in Aspen, Colorado.

In his ruling, Judge Goeke sounds like a golf fan when he describes Garcia.

“Petitioner is notable for his charismatic and fiery personality which differentiates him from most others who play the ‘gentleman’s game’ for a living,” Goeke wrote in his opinion.

Photo: Sergio Garcia during the first round of the WGC-Cadillac (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

1. “I think obviously golf is great. We haven't really had anything going on. So we'll see, we started testing, what was it, 2008 I think, and nothing has really come around.”

--Sergio Garcia on performance enhancing drugs in golf

 

 

 

2.“Don't tell anybody, but we would jump the fence
and get in.”

--Brandt Jobe on watching Fred Couples win the LA Open at Riviera when he was at UCLA

 

 

 

3. “There's no data that really confirms that they have to ban it."

--Ernie Els on the USGA and R&A’s proposed ban on anchored putting

 

 

 

4. “If I'm playing well, I can walk around this course and feel like I'm going to shoot par or very close to it every single time.”

--Fred Couples on playing at Riviera, where he’s won twice

 

 

 

5. “I usually give him six a side and that's usually not enough for him.”

--Luke Donald on playing golf with Michael Jordan 

 

 

 

 

6. "I believe there's a wisdom within The Old Course that goes beyond what anyone today understands about golf course architecture."

--Golf-course architect Tom Doak on the R&A’s changes to the Old Course

 

 

7. “There are guys in there that it's a joke. It takes integrity away from the term 'Hall of Fame.' I'm very upset at the Hall of Fame.”

--Raymond Floyd to Golf Magazine after announcement that Fred Couples and Colin Montgomerie would be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame

 

8. "The President said to Tiger: `The last tournament you played was fun to watch. It's good to see you play well again.' You could tell he meant it. It just wasn't a throw it out compliment."

--Butch Harmon on watching President Obama and Tiger Woods play golf together

 

9. “To be that good, that young, and that composed at that age is just incredible."

--Caddie Stevie Williams on fellow New Zealander Lydia Ko

 

 

 

10. “Thursday and Friday for me suck. I think they are boring. I don't enjoy them. Saturday and Sunday, that's what we wheel and deal.”

--Charlie Beljan on being in the hunt at Riviera on Sunday

Sergio Garcia reportedly considered withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic with a sore shoulder, and there's no telling what his meltdown in a greenside bunker on the 13th hole on Saturday might have done to that injury. Despite losing his cool, Garcia went on to finish tied for 17th in the event.