Just as many people have to justify their job performance in year-end interviews with their bosses--if they want to receive a raise--professional athletes need to allow access to reporters to connect with their audiences. No audience = no interest, and no interest = no advertising dollars.
As someone else said, Arnold Palmer had a way of connecting with his fans, and has given countless interviews. In fact, he is an ambassador of the sport. He understands that continued success of the sport is not dependent upon people watching "good play" and finding it interesting. He knows it's important that players, especially top players, connect in some way with their fans. They do this through interviews, participation in pro-ams, and other ways.
Tiger is standing on the shoulders--and benfitting financially--from the Palmers, Nicklauses, Trevinos, Watsons, Stewarts, and Mickelsons of golf history. If Tiger wants to eventually go down as the greatest golf player of all time, he'll need to act more like Arnold Palmer, and less like Barry Bonds.
I could be wrong about this Lou, but I looks to me like the man just doesn't care much anymore - to his own eventual distruction, sad to say.
It looks to me like he wants to take his money and run, saying in effect, "To hell with the lot of them."
I hope for his sake I'm dead wrong. But, he looks like a wounded animal that won't act anything like his 'fans' might expect.
When I was a kid I lived next door to a semi-retarded guy in his 40’s who lived with his mom. Arnold Palmer was in town for some golf event—and this guy, who anyone could tell was not quite right, strode up to Arnold and shouted “ARNOLD PALMER! I’ve been looking for you!” And Arnold held out his hand and said in a loud voice “Well I’ve been looking for you, too!” What a prince that guy is!