Professional golfer Stewart Cink knows how his bread gets buttered. I guess.
Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers reports Mr. Cink’s Sunday night arrival to the UK was delayed — until Tuesday morning.
What was the reason?
Unspecified “travel difficulties.”
“Our flight Sunday night got cancelled so we had to reroute, and the best we could do was fly 24 hours later from Atlanta,” Mr. Cink said today, according to Mr. Powers. “We had some travel difficulties, and because of what is right there on my shirt, I’m not going to tell you what happened.”
What’s on his shirt?
A Delta Air Lines logo. It seems the Atlanta-based carrier is one of his sponsors.
Maybe he should look for a public relations sponsor, too. Like, is this his first time dealing with media?
Now, this was probably an offhanded, yuk-yuk remark. But indulge me.
I think he could’ve left out the whole “because of what is right there on my shirt, I’m not going to tell you what happened” part.
He’s pretty much admitting Delta was somehow involved in his travel problems. But because he’s so loyal, he simply must publicly brag that he won’t complain about them. (Or maybe he’s trying to send a message to Delta?)
I don’t know if he was trying to get ahead of someone asking him a question like, Did your sponsor have anything to do with your travel issues? But a simple, “Delta got me here in time to play in the (whatever open or invitational or classic). I look forward to shooting some great rounds and enjoying a relaxing trip back home” should’ve been just fine.
Boom. Done. If pressed again, a simple, “Are we talking about golf or air travel?” would’ve likely wrapped up the topic. (I’ve spent plenty of time in press rooms. Terse comebacks are generally uncomfortable yet darkly amusing.)
What do you think? Did he birdie, par, or bogie his response?
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+1 Chris – Biting the hand that feeds and flies you isn’t a great move. Hopefully for Mr. Cink he’s found another airline or jet membership to sponsor him when his Delta agreement expires.
I’m also thinking Delta probably could have routed him any number of ways to get him there, but it would have meant one or more additional connects and would have been more tiring and thus worse for his performance to do so rather than resting in Atlanta waiting for another direct flight.