Robert Allenby does not understand why there are doubts about his story that he was beaten and robbed last Friday.
Allenby missed the cut at the Sony Open and later was walking with two other men after leaving a wine bar near Waikiki when he was kidnapped, robbed and assaulted by unknown assailants. He was dropped at a park hours later where he was harassed by homeless men before obtaining a ride to his hotel.
Allenby, 43, is from Australia. Police are investigating the robbery and assault. He was not participating in this week's Humana Challenge in La Quinta, Calif.
Some have doubted Allenby's claim and he isn't sure why.
"It's such a shame that people are focusing on whether the story is true," Allenby said in text messages to The Golf Channel. "I say you only have to look at me to see the truth."
But a homeless woman, Charade Keane, told an Australian TV station she saw Allenby less than a mile from the wine bar and not the six miles he says he was dumped out of a car following the robbery.
Allenby opined that Keane is likely "getting paid" to tell her version of events. He said Sunday that he's simply "thankful to be alive" following his assault at the hands of men who claimed to be Allenby fans.
Another witness, Toa Kaili, said he saw Allenby pass out and fall face first into a rock, which would explain his facial injury.
Keane also told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that she witnessed Allenby sitting on a planter with a bloodied face early Saturday. He was arguing with two homeless men Keane knew. She intervened and started to walk with Allenby. Keane said Allenby told her all of his things were gone. A retired U.S. serviceman later arrived and paid for a taxi to take Allenby back to his hotel, according to Keane.
Honolulu police reportedly have video footage of a suspect using Allenby's credit card to purchase two bottles of alcohol.
"This was an unfortunate incident, and any time something like this involves a visitor to our island the (tourism authority) takes the situation very seriously," Hawaii Tourism Authority vice president David Uchiyama said in a statement. "It is also very important to remember that this was an isolated incident, and Hawaii remains one of the safest travel destinations in the world."