Tiger hecklers take to the sky

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April 10, 2010

Hecklers at the Masters have been threatened with eviction, but an enterprising mystery prankster has found a way around it.

Hecklers have been threatened with eviction by the law-unto-themselves Augusta National officials who run The Masters, but an enterprising mystery prankster has found a way around it.

He, she or they are using the skies above the ultra-posh golf club of the rich and famous to make fun of Tiger Woods – and apparently there is not too much anyone can do about it.

During Thursday’s first round a light aircraft was spotted pulling a large advertising banner across the skies above Augusta while the Masters was in progress.

In large letters for all to see it read: “Tiger: Did you mean Bootyism?” .

Clearly they were taking a sideswipe at Tiger’s assertion that as part of his healing process for sex addiction, he had returned to his roots and was once more practicing Buddhism, the religion of his Thai-born mother.

But that wasn’t all.

Later in the day, the light aircraft returned, pulling a second banner. An enterprising TMZ photographer got a shot of it even before the plane reached the course.

His photo shows that this time the message to the thousands of Augusta ‘patrons’ lining the fairways below read: “Sex Addict? Yeah. Right. Sure. Me Too.”

It has still not been revealed who is behind the campaign, but writing for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, investigative journalist Rhonda Cook has reported that a Toledo Ohio advertising agency, Air America Ariel Ads, are the company responsible for the fly-overs.

She could not get the company to reveal, however, who had commissioned the ads and how much the exercise will cost. but clearly the mystery prankster is not short of funds.

The going rate of aerial advertising of this nature runs at about $1,200 per hour plus the cost of making the banners and other expenses.

Something AA Ariel Ads did disclose, however, was that at least six more banners are destined to be hoisted across the skies over Augusta during Friday’s second round.

Jim Miller of AA Ariel Ads told NBC Sports:.”Keep your eyes open. They get better and better.”

Short of using his millions to set up some sort of aerial defence with the capability of cutting loose or shooting down the banners , there is not much that either Tiger or the ‘good ole boys’ of Augusta can do to stop the prank..

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that the FAA has issued an air advisory for the area, but the key word, it says, is “advisory.” No one can actually be prosecuted for ignoring it, although some airports will prevent certain aircraft from taking off under advisory conditions.

FOOTNOTE:

Late-breaking reports indicate that the FAA, while denying being pressurized by Augusta, have swept in and grounded the aircraft that has been hauling the Tiger-bashing banners.

SportsbyBrooks report that the aircraft was using an airport in South Carolina and it was here that the FAA swooped in for an unscheduled inspection and, on finding a seat-belt violation, promptly grounded the plane.

Air America Ariel Ads, the Ohio ad agency that has been hauling the banners over Augusta, is hoping, however, to find another light aircraft to complete the already paid-for task of displaying another three banners at the Masters

One is believed to read, “You knew Steve, you know.” in a reference to the often stated denial by Tiger’s caddy Steve Williams that he knew anything about his boss’s off course extra-marital activities.

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