Hank Haney forced his way back into the golf news cycle with a plethora of controversial comments last week regarding the U.S. Women’s Open.
Now, after doubling down on the initial comments which drew plenty of scorn, Haney is going after his former student Tiger Woods.
Haney was suspended from his SiriusXM PGA Tour radio show after problematic on-air comments showing an indifference to women’s golf and making fun of the fact that so many top players are Korean.
Woods was asked about his former coach’s words at the Memorial Tournament and said he got what he deserved.
Tuesday afternoon, Haney kept the controversy going and responded to Woods’ comments on Twitter with the following statement:
“Amazing how @tigerwoods now has become the moral authority on issues pertaining to women. I spent 6 great years coaching Tiger, and not one time did he ever hear me utter one sexist or racist word. Now, in addition to being a 15 time major champion, I guess he thinks he’s also a mind reader? #glasshouses”
It’s no secret that Woods and Haney’s relationship was fractured beyond repair once Haney published “The Big Miss,” in 2012, a tell-all book about his years coaching Woods that included plenty of gossipy details.
Haney’s original comments about the LPGA came when asked on his radio show about the U.S. Women’s Open, which led to the following exchange with co-host Steve Johnson.
Johnson: “This week is the 74th U.S. Women’s Open, Hank.”
Haney: “Oh it is? I’m gonna predict a Korean.”
Johnson, laughing: “OK, that’s a pretty safe bet.”
Haney: “I couldn’t name you six players on the LPGA Tour. Maybe I could. Well … I’d go with Lee. If I didn’t have to name a first name, I’d get a bunch of them right.”
Johnson: “We’ve got six Lees.”
Haney: “Honestly, Michelle Wie is hurt. I don’t know that many. Where are they playing, by the way?”
Haney was soundly criticized by Wie and others for his comments and later apologized on Twitter. But Sunday he seemed to walk back the apology and twist the narrative after Korean Jeongeun Lee6 won the U.S. Women’s Open, tweeting the following:
“My prediction that a Korean woman would be atop the leaderboard at the Women’s US Open was based on statistics and facts. Korean women are absolutely dominating the LPGA Tour. If you asked me again my answer would be the same but worded more carefully.”
He later joked about it again with another tweet that indicates he never understood why people were upset with his comments in the first place.
Haney’s most recent reply to Woods came days after Woods was asked about Haney’s suspension and had some strong words for his former coach.
“He deserved it,” Woods said. “Just can’t look at life like that. And he obviously said what he meant, and he got what he deserved.”
