Tiger Woods arrives in mother's homeland to
hero's welcome
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Maybe they should call it Thai-gerland.
Tiger Woods arrived in his mother's homeland Tuesday to a reception
fit for royalty.
The 21-year-old golfer stepped from a plane at Bangkok International
Airport into a throng of government officials, fans and relatives
and was besieged by autograph requests, asked for interviews and
covered with dozens of traditional Thai floral garlands.
Kultida Woods, the golfer's Thai mother, shepherded her son
off the plane and into the throng at the arrival lounge. A worker
asked Woods to autograph his cap even before he left the air-bridge
from the plane.
Thai television carried the arrival live, a mark of celebrity
status accorded last year to Queen Elizabeth II of Britain and
President Clinton.
Woods declined a television reporter's request to "say
a few words for the Thai people" as he left the plane. He
smiled when he saw a banner in English, "Welcome home Tiger
- We miss you when you are not here."
Earl Woods, Tiger's father, was a Green Beret during the Vietnam
War and met his wife in Thailand while he was stationed in Asia.
Earl Woods did not make the trip, remaining home where he is scheduled
to have heart bypass surgery in the near future.
Tiger Woods visited Thailand twice before, once when he was
nine and again when he was 18.
Woods, who has three victories, a second, two thirds and a
fifth-place finish in only 11 tournaments as a professional, was
playing in the Honda Asian Classic starting Thursday.
Thai politicians cast Woods as a national hero and both the
government and the opposition tired to arrange meetings with him.
Woods will receive a royal decoration when he meets with Prime
Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.
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