GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) -- Well, John Yates is now the proud owner of a golf glove autographed by Tiger Woods. The fan also has three stitches courtesy of an errant shot by Woods.
Woods' approach at No. 7 during the final round of the Buick Open on Sunday sailed to the right and bounced off Yates' head, cutting him, before landing in the greenside bunker.
The spectator was on his back, his head bleeding, when Woods came over to apologize.
``I'm so sorry,'' Woods said, leaning down to shake Yates' hand. ``Hang in there.''
Woods asked if help was on the way. Tournament marshals assured him it was.
Woods, who wound up making birdie, returned to give Yates the glove and a ball.
Reached later by telephone at his home in Grand Blanc, Yates said he didn't need medical assistance beyond the stitches.
In fact, he was in a joking mood.
``I helped him out because my head knocked it back toward the hole,'' said Yates, who's 52. ``He birdied the hole, I guess. I didn't see it. It's my most memorable moment in golf.''
He said he was shaded by trees and didn't see the ball coming.
``When it hit me, I heard the noise, but I didn't really know what happened. The next thing I knew, I was bleeding,'' Yates said. ``I never lost consciousness or felt dizzy or anything like that.''
He said he probably will give the souvenirs from Woods to his son, who also was at the tournament.
Woods said he felt ``terrible'' about what happened.
``I hit that ball 40 or 50 yards off line,'' said Woods, who finished tied for second at 19-under, two strokes behind Jim Furyk. ``I've done that before, and I hopefully will not do it again.
``It was hard to focus on the next shot when the guy is lying there bleeding.''
Woods' approach at No. 7 during the final round of the Buick Open on Sunday sailed to the right and bounced off Yates' head, cutting him, before landing in the greenside bunker.
The spectator was on his back, his head bleeding, when Woods came over to apologize.
``I'm so sorry,'' Woods said, leaning down to shake Yates' hand. ``Hang in there.''
Woods asked if help was on the way. Tournament marshals assured him it was.
Woods, who wound up making birdie, returned to give Yates the glove and a ball.
Reached later by telephone at his home in Grand Blanc, Yates said he didn't need medical assistance beyond the stitches.
In fact, he was in a joking mood.
``I helped him out because my head knocked it back toward the hole,'' said Yates, who's 52. ``He birdied the hole, I guess. I didn't see it. It's my most memorable moment in golf.''
He said he was shaded by trees and didn't see the ball coming.
``When it hit me, I heard the noise, but I didn't really know what happened. The next thing I knew, I was bleeding,'' Yates said. ``I never lost consciousness or felt dizzy or anything like that.''
He said he probably will give the souvenirs from Woods to his son, who also was at the tournament.
Woods said he felt ``terrible'' about what happened.
``I hit that ball 40 or 50 yards off line,'' said Woods, who finished tied for second at 19-under, two strokes behind Jim Furyk. ``I've done that before, and I hopefully will not do it again.
``It was hard to focus on the next shot when the guy is lying there bleeding.''
