Las Vegas, Nevada (April 28, 2011 UPDATED 4/28)–In 2008, we ran a very similar headline to the one above but it officially was "Wounded Tiger Woods still Jams in Las Vegas". That year he came to Las Vegas for his annual Tiger Jam charity event just days after knee surgery. He attended the events of the weekend on crutches, even mingling in the crowd during a performance by Van Halen. This week Tiger brings his Jam back to Vegas–after a year hiatus–and he is once again injured. —By Brian Hurlburt.
Woods' management released the following statement at TigerWoods.com regarding the recent injury: "Woods suffered a Grade 1 mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon while hitting a difficult and awkward second shot from the pine straw under the Eisenhower tree left of the fairway at No. 17 during the third round of the Masters. Woods was able to continue playing at Augusta and then later decided to seek a medical evaluation. Doctors have advised rest and cold-water therapy, and soft tissue treatment will also occur later this week. There is no definitive time frame for healing, but Woods hopes to be back in a few weeks. The injury caused Woods to pull out of next week's PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship. The site also had the following statement from Woods himself: "I personally contacted (Wells Fargo) tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play," Woods said. "This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors' orders to get better."
As always, Tiger Jam will be headlined by major musical acts; this year, Keith Urban and John Mayer are on the bill for the concert that takes place Saturday, April 30, at the Mandalay Events Center following a VIP dinner and benefit auction. "I'm thrilled these two talented musicians are joining us for Tiger Jam," event host Tiger Woods said in a previous statement about Tiger Jam 2011. "We have had so much success with this event over the last 13 years, raising more than $12 million for programs of my Foundation, and we are excited to continue that tradition." Also on tap is a golf clinic at Las Vegas' Cascata and other golf events. Cascata is a resort course that is open to all Las Vegas golfers and was included as one of the top golf courses in America in a 2009 ZAGAT survey. In 2008, Las Vegas resident and PGA Tour star Charley Hoffman filled in for Tiger at the clinic –Woods still spoke and directed the clinic with Hoffman. We suppose the possibility exists that another special guest could give Tiger a hand this week. Look for our report on Friday if that is the case. UPDATE 4/28: Champions Tour star John Cook will be helping at the clinic.
About Tiger Jam and the Tiger Woods Foundation: "Since its creation in 1998, Tiger Jam has raised more than $12 million for programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation through its sold-out performances and one-of-a-kind auction items. Since 1996, the Tiger Woods Foundation has reached more than 10 million young people by delivering unique experiences and innovative educational opportunities for youth worldwide. Specific programs of the Foundation include the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a one-of-a-kind education facility custom-built for the underserved youth of Southern California and Washington, D.C. Everything at the Learning Center is about active participation and hands-on learning. Students in grades 5-12 participate in classes ranging from forensic science to graphic design. The Foundation has also helped send 35 bright, young students to college through the Earl Woods Scholarship Program. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years, with students chosen based on demonstrated financial need and a proven commitment to community service. Tiger's Action Plan is a collection of curricula distributed to students nationwide. Each curriculum contains interactive and informative lesson plans that focus on subjects important to young people including, exploring careers, planning for the future, financial responsibility and the importance of making a difference in your community. In addition to its original programming, the Foundation also awards grants to youth-based organizations around the world. For more information, visit TigerWoodsFoundation.org."