Few people managed to successfully challenge Tiger Woods during his prime both on and off the golf course.
This is something artist Rick Rush nearly learned the hard way, despite his renown for flawlessly recreating famous sports scenes. The disagreement revolved around one of the former world No.1’s most memorable career highlights, his first US Masters victory at Augusta in 1997.
Woods would later secure an additional 14 major titles, transforming into one of the most commercially appealing stars in sports history. However, just a year after he first wore the green jacket, Jireh Publishing, owned by Rush’s brother Don, released a limited-edition print of his brother’s painting, portraying the golfer’s inaugural Masters win.
The prints were promptly sold for approximately £550 each. Yet ETW’s lawyers, a company established by Woods to manage the marketing of his image, swiftly intervened.
What ensued was a five-year legal dispute, during which the American’s temper reportedly flared, reports the Express. Reports from the time suggest Woods was insistent on enforcing his likeness rights.
Consequently, Rush found himself caught in the crossfire and although a Federal District Court in Ohio initially ruled in favour of Jireh Publishing, in 2002 the star decided to sue. The legal representatives of Woods argued Jireh Publishing had committed trademark infringement by selling replicas of the Rush artwork.
However, by the following year, a US court upheld that Rick Rush had not breached Woods’ trademark rights. While announcing the decision, Judge James Graham declared: “ETW asks us, in effect, to constitute Woods himself as a walking, talking trademark. As a general rule, a person’s image or likeness cannot function as a trademark.”
At 78-years-old, Rush celebrated what he described as “a huge victory for freedom of expression.” The press meanwhile dubbed it a triumph for ‘David over Goliath’, marking one of the few times the sports figure, now 47, didn’t end up on top.
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Despite possessing eight Major titles at the time, Woods refrained from publicly commenting on this issue. However, legal problems would become more personal later in his career, particularly notable in 2017 where he found himself on the defensive in the courtroom.
In the month of May that same year, after being discovered unconscious at the wheel, Woods was detained for suspected driving while impaired by substances or alcohol. He eventually admitted to reckless driving, leading to one year on probation, a fine of close to £200, and a mandatory 50 hours of community service.