Woods comes to Kitchener

There was a Tiger on the loose in Kitchener, Ont. on Wednesday, but he wasn't spotted.

Fresh off a career grand slam win at the British Open, golfing sensation Tiger Woods made a visit to the city to film a television commercial for General Motors.

With more than 50 people lined up along a barrier outside the stadium with pens and pads of paper in hand hoping for an autograph, Woods emerged from a heavily-guarded white van, waved to the crowd and then went inside the stadium to begin shooting.

The commercial, to be aired during the Sydney Olympics in September, features Woods competing in a variety of Olympics events, winning each one with his golf clubs.

More than 100 extras were paid $150 a day to act with Woods in the television spot.

Extras Talia Russo, Sheri Nadel and Danielle Weinreich said Woods was a down-to-earth person with a good sense of humour.

But the day was marked by a bit of controversy.

A strike by the Screen Actors Guild forced production to move up from the United States to Ontario, and some said that Woods was breaking ranks.

Woods and other athletes like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky are members of the guild.

Last year, Woods signed a five-year, $30-million deal with General Motors.

Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, said that his client did not break the strike and is living up to "contractual obligations."

The SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike on May 1, asking for a change in the pay structure in the advertising industry.

Woods cancelled TV commercials for Nike after the strike was announced. The commercial was suppose to air during the week of the U.S. Open, a tourney that Woods won by a record 15 strokes.