Tiger at play

Golf Digest, Feb, 2003 by Marc Saltzman

Like most 20-something males, Tiger Woods says he unwinds by playing video games with friends. Golf Digest sat down with Tiger at The Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles to chat about video games, including his latest example, "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003" ($50; for PC, Play-Station 2, Xbox and GameCube).

Q: What was the first video game you ever played?

A: Either Pong or Frogger. It was Atari, so that's going back a ways. It's incredible how far games have come.

Q: What other video games do you play?

A: I play Bond [Electronic Arts' James Bond in Agent Under Fire] a little bit, and NBA Live--but I keep coming back to Madden [EA Sports' Madden NFL 2003]. I'm pretty decent at it.

Q: What's it like seeing yourself in a video game?

A: It's creepy [laughs]. It's starting to look just like me. I just wish I had those arms in real life. You know, I've been at the gym a little bit ...

Q: What's your best score in your video golf game?

A: About 80. I'm not very good at it. The game's too hard for me. Even on the easiest setting.

Q: How do you feel your swing looks in the game?

A: That's the neat thing. I've seen the evolution of my swing from the first time I did the game [in 1998], until now. I remember when I first did the game, I couldn't stand it, because I was in the process of changing my swing. But with the motion-capture sequences, they've captured the evolution of my swing each year since then. That's cool. That's what makes the game more real. They've captured my real swing.

Q: Are you as competitive in video games as you are on the course?

A: Oh, yeah. I get a little PO'd at times, but I know that if I'm playing my buddies, I'm not losing. I'll do whatever it takes to win. That's when I'm the most competitive--when I'm with my buddies.