The PGA Tour and IMG are "squaring off" over several
details of the August 28 "Battle at Bighorn" made-for-TV
prime-time golf event that will feature Tiger Woods and
Sergio Garcia on ABC, according to GOLF WORLD's "The
Bunker." Details involve the release fee IMG must pay the
PGA Tour for the players and "who gets to establish the
event's ground rules." IMG paid $900,000 for the use of
Woods and David Duval in last year's "Showdown at Sherwood."
Sources say that this year, the PGA Tour is asking for
$2.1M, and while the fee "is still being negotiated," talks
are "complicated by the production control the tour wants
over the event" (GOLF WORLD, 3/31 issue).
TIGER'S TALE: Woods is the Cover Story of this week's
SI. PGA Tour player Steve Pate, on having Woods on the
Tour: "We all ought to be thankful he's out here. Because
of him we're playing for a helluva lot more money." Woods
tells SI's S.L. Price that he is "as happy as he has ever
been": "No doubt about it. I have a wonderful balance in my
life. I've come to an understanding of what I need, and
what I can and can't do" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 4/3 issue).
