The “team’’ Tiger Woods will have with him at Bethpage this week is a small group, because his inner circle of trusted confidants is small.
Here’s a look at Team Tiger:
- Rob McNamara: Has known Woods since their junior-golf days in Southern California and is now a vice president of Woods’ TGR Ventures. Wherever you see Woods, you generally see the 43-year-old McNamara, a scratch golfer who worked at IMG from 2000-05 before joining Woods. He often plays with Woods and with Woods not currently employing a swing coach, McNamara is essentially a second set of eyes for Woods’ game.
- Mark Steinberg: He began as Woods’ agent in 1998 while at IMG, and in 2011 Steinberg left IMG for Excel Sports Management, where he’s a partner and heads the golf division. Woods, along with Justin Rose and Matt Kuchar, followed Steinberg to Excel.
- Glenn Greenspan: The 60-year-old New York native and a graduate of Florida State University has been Woods’ public relations person since 2008 after leaving Augusta National as its director of communications for the Masters.
- Erica Herman: The 34-year-old is Woods’ girlfriend and lives with him in Jupiter, Fla. She met him when she was a manager at Woods’ restaurant in Jupiter and is seen often with him and his children.
- The kids: Woods’ oldest is daughter Sam is 11 and is a big fan of playing soccer. Woods reportedly named her Sam because his father, Earl, used to call him Sam, and she was born the day after Father’s Day in 2007, the year after Earl died. Woods’ youngest child is Charlie, who was reportedly named after Hall of Fame golfer Charlie Sifford, who was the first African-American to play on the PGA Tour. Charlie is 10.
- Kultida “Tida’’ Woods: She’s been a constant figure in Woods’ life and is often seen following her son’s rounds at major tournaments
- Unlike many other players, Woods’ physical trainer doesn’t travel with him nor do his closest friends — other than an occasional visit by his childhood friend, Bryon Bell. When he can, such as this week at the PGA, Woods brings his 155-foot yacht “Privacy,’’ and stays on board along with his caddie, Joe LaCava, and a private chef to cook meals.