Chasing Tiger

All eat from the bowl of life — Tiger Woods just has a bigger spoon.

So writes Curt Sampson in his groundbreaking account of the current state of golf and the man who changed the game forever — Tiger Woods. With a mix of power, skill, and business savvy, Woods has become the biggest sports figure since Michael Jordan, wielding a competitive edge of equal parts inspiration and intimidation. As for the rest of the golfing world — including other players, junior golfers and their parents, corporate America, agents, instructors, fans, and the media — it's either catch up or give up.

As in his controversial bestsellers Hogan and The Masters, Sampson digs deep to tell stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. From the Austin golf course worker whose admiration for Woods leads him to spend every waking minute mimicking him, to the unemployed talk show host whose website stretches the bounds of hero worship, to the other end of the scale, where up-and-coming pro Charles Howell III — tapped by Nicklaus to be the next great challenge to Woods — continues to close the gap.

By turns moving, hilarious, and eye-opening, Chasing Tiger is an affectionate yet wary account of one extraordinary man's impact on the world of sports, and the game of golf as it moves into a new era.

Tiger Woods has changed golf. What about the other guys? Curt Sampson digs deep to uncover stories that wouldn't otherwise be told. Here is an affectionate but wary account of one extraordinary man's impact on the world of sport. By turns moving, hilarious, and eye-opening, Chasing Tiger is a wonderful addition to the golf canon.

Publishers Weekly

There are few public figures as mysterious as Eldrick "Tiger" Woods; his apparent mistrust of the media and painstakingly crafted image deny the public much insight into his true colors. Sampson (The Masters) takes a shot at not just learning about Tiger, but at studying his considerable effect on the game of golf. The old sports writing axiom says, "The smaller the ball, the better the writing," and Sampson certainly has chops commensurate with golf's small sphere, though his inability to pass up on cheesy similes and metaphors can be off-putting. Former touring pro Sampson's connections in the sport are on par with his authorial flair. He searches far and wide for ripples stemming from Tiger, talking not only to opponents but to tournament directors, fellow media types, Tiger's family and golfers from the sport's past. Perhaps Sampson casts his net too wide; at times, the individuals he profiles seem to possess a tangential-at-best connection to Tiger. Sampson is best at capturing the details the smell of pine straw on a course or the flush on the back of a pressured participant's neck as only a golf aficionado and ace writer can. Of Tiger's swing coach, he writes: "Instructor Butch Harmon stands a few paces behind his student, impassive, silent, chewing gum, wearing shades, and looking for God-knows-what in that godlike swing." Ultimately, readers don't learn a lot about Tiger, but they do discover he's far more complex than he is bland. (June) Forecast: Tiger is hot, and any book that even hints of chipping away the golf pro's mystique is sure to draw attention and sales. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Curt Sampson is a former golf touring professional and a regular contributor to Golf magazine and golf.com. He is the author of seven books, including the bestsellers The Masters and Hogan - about which Steve Jones said, "I couldn't have won the US Open without reading this book." His most recent book, Royal and Ancient, is a behind-the-scenes look at the British Open. He lives in Ennis, Texas.