By Sam Adams
Canh Oxelsonâs lookalike has really been bringing him down lately.
When someone pointed out to the upper school dean that he bore a striking resemblance to golfer Tiger Woods over a decade ago, Oxelson figured that it would be an easy way to earn some money for graduate school. Heâs been doing corporate gigs and impersonating the athlete at parties ever since. He was featured in Sports Illustrated as Tigerâs doppelganger. He appeared on CNN and in USA Today. He even met Tiger on the set of an American Express commercial in which the two appeared. Business was good: by Oxelsonâs count, he moonlighted as the golfer eight to 12 times per year.
“After 12 years of doing this, Iâve done just about everything you can do,” Oxelson said.
But in the past two weeks, daily allegations of adultery have come out after Tiger crashed his Escalade and started a media feeding frenzy on the reserved star. He has since quit the game for an indefinite period.
“The salacious details have gotten so bad that I am starting to wonder if I even want to do any more lookalike stuff,” Oxelson said. “If people are looking at me, itâs like itâs guilt by association now.”
Oxelsonâs second career has evaporated since the allegations. A lucrative corporate job was canceled after the scandal broke and the company decided they didnât want to align themselves with the tainted athlete anymore. Though heâs gotten offers to come onto TV shows as part of a Tiger parody, he said that he only wants to use his resemblance for positive messages.
The faux Tiger said that if his likeness manages to repair his image, heâd consider making a comeback. For now, though, heâs just trying to make sure that his reputation doesnât come crashing down along with Tigerâs.
“So far, so good,” Oxelson said. “None of my friends have turned their back on me. None of the other deans have turned their back on me, so I think Iâm safe.”
