What's Next for Tiger Woods?

Is it really him?

That was the question golf fans were asking themselves yesterday afternoon upon viewing photos which appear to show a bearded Tiger Woods walking through the grounds of the Pine Grove Addiction Clinic in rural Mississippi while attempting to shroud himself with a sweatshirt.

Some lucky stalker…sorry, “photographer” nabbed himself a half a million dollar payday and is now sipping pina coladas at a five-star resort in Mexico while his photos are appearing on the front page of every tabloid-esque newspaper, magazine, and website in the country.

So, if Woods is indeed in “Sex addiction” rehab in Mississippi—whether or not “Sex addiction” truly does exists is another question for another day—what does this mean?

Well, it more than likely means that Team Tiger’s carefully constructed plan to repair his image is now in motion…gossip reporters, start booking your trip to Augusta.

How this will all play out over coming weeks and months is anyone’s guess, but here’s my best guess.

Woods will shortly release a statement saying that he is indeed seeking help for his “transgressions” and that he appreciates all of the support he’s received from his friends, family, fans, and the PGA Tour.

Woods will go through his therapy whether he and his team believe it’s needed or not, and within several weeks some paparazzi photos will conveniently surface showing Woods out and about with his wife and children.

Whether his wife sticks with him because she is under “contract” and will receive a massive payday if she does, or whether she will really be interested in repairing their marriage will be a source of much speculation. 

But either way, Woods’ ability to repair his image will largely depend on his wife, Elin, sticking around.  So, you can be assured that Elin has been meeting with Woods’ best negotiators for quite some time now.

In early March, information will begin leaking out about Woods spending a large amount of time back on the golf course at Isleworth.    

On Friday, March 19, the Tournament director at the Arnold Palmer Invitational will receive a fax at around 4:45 p.m. from Tiger Woods stating his intention to compete in the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational—a tournament he was won six times.

The golf world will spin on its heels and Arnie will have to deal with an extremely large number of tabloid reporters setting up camp outside of his beloved Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

You will not see Tiger sitting on Oprah’s couch.

You will not see Tiger appear on 60 minutes.

And you will not see tears streaming down Tiger’s face on Larry King Live.

He will speak with the media at the Arnold Palmer Invitational because the PGA Tour will require him to do so, and he will answer all questions regarding the scandal with nothing more than “It was a personal issue. I’ve sought help and I am continuing to deal with it.”

The media will attempt to ask him the same questions over and over again, and Woods will continue to give them absolutely nothing.

If you thought Woods was tight lipped pre-fire hydrant, just wait until he returns.

This is the same guy that to this day won’t attend the Bob Hope Classic because they wouldn’t grant him a sponsor’s exemption when he was an 18-year-old amateur.  Members of the golf media may have already received their last ever half-way decent sound bite from Tiger Woods.

Woods may miss the cut at Bay Hill, he may finish 30th or he may come out and win the darn thing.

But the outcome will be completely irrelevant as it pertains to his next move.

Win, lose, or draw at Bay Hill, Woods’ next stop will be Augusta.

Of course, Woods’ attempt to raise his image from the grave it’s been buried in for the past two months could go down completely different to what I have just described, which is precisely why it’s called a “guess.”