Washington: Rumours of star golfer Tiger Woods’ alleged demise gained traction Thursday after a ‘RIP Tiger Woods’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American athletes’ passing.
“At about 11 am ET Thursday (September 14, 2017), our beloved athlete Tiger Woods passed away. Tiger Woods was born December 30, 1975 in Cypress. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 41-year-old athlete was dead. And as usual, Twitter sphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Whereas some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an athlete of Tiger Woods’ stature would be major news across networks.
A recent poll conducted for the Celebrity Post shows that a large majority (92%) of respondents think those Tiger Woods death rumors are not funny anymore.
Friday (September 15), the athletes’ reps officially confirmed that Tiger Woods is not dead. “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimised by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.
Some fans have expressed anger at the fake report saying it was reckless, distressing and hurtful to fans of the much loved athlete. Others say this shows his extreme popularity across the globe.
Agencies
