Woods Hires New Swing Coach


Tiger Woods has hired Chris Como as his new swing coach. The 14-time major champion announced the hire on Saturday three months after he parted ways with former instructor Sean Foley.

"I was introduced to Chris this summer by Notah (Begay) and subsequently we had several good conversations about the golf swing," Woods said in a statement. "I've worked with him about a month since I started practicing. Chris will consult and work with me during the year."

Como is Woods's fourth swing coach since he turned pro. He originally worked with Butch Harmon, who was followed by Hank Haney and Foley. He was with Foley for four years.

Como is a 36-year-old teacher based in Plano, Texas, and teaches at Gleneagles Country Club. Among the players he's previously worked with include Trevor Immelman, Aaron Baddeley and Jamie Lovemark.

Woods hasn't played in a tournament since the PGA Championship in August due to ongoing back problems. He's slated to return to competition at the Hero World Challenge. The limited-field, $3.5 million event - which benefits his Tiger Woods Foundation - starts December 4 at Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Windermere, Fla.

Earlier this week Woods made national news after publicly complaining about an imaginary interview Dan Jenkins wrote of him in the December issue of Golf Digest. Jenkins, who was named to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2012 in the Lifetime Achievement category, slammed Woods for his egomania, cheapness as a tipper, fickle friendships and propensity for injury.

An obviously miffed Woods wrote a guest column on recently retired Yankee star Derek Jeter's website in response to Jenkins' sideswipe. In his piece "Not True, Not Funny," Woods said Jenkins' fake interview "fails as a parody, and is really more like grudge-fueled piece of character assassination." The 38-year-old added that the column hit "below the belt."