Woods Announces He is Firing on All Cylinders

Tiger Woods has signalled he might be playing tournament golf sooner rather than later after revealing his practice sessions are back at "full-bore" following knee surgery. His return cannot come quickly enough, even for those whose competitive lives he has blighted.

"We miss the opportunity to compete against him, we all do, and we hope that he gets back out soon, and it looks like he will be," his erstwhile Ryder Cup colleague and perennial whipping boy Phil Mickelson said on the eve of this week's Buick Invitational in Torrey Pines, near San Diego. If the left-hander is feeling a sense of loss, it is but nothing when measured with that of the PGA Tour as a whole and the organisers of the Buick, a tournament that has traditionally been Woods' opening appearance of the PGA Tour season.

The world No1 has won the tournament six times in 11 years, including the last four in succession. He also won a famous US Open victory at Torrey Pines last summer, holding off the field and eventually beating Rocco Mediate in a play-off despite playing with a badly injured knee.

Tournament organisers had hoped Woods would recover in time to make his competitive return, but were sadly disappointed when last week's deadline for entries passed without any word. "We certainly won't have the same buzz as we've had for the last 11 years," said the tournament director Tom Wilson, adding that he expected attendances to drop.

"How much? We don't know for sure. But we've got players who haven't played here before or haven't played here in a while that will generate some interest for spectators who come out. We still have a good field of players, and we'll still have a good tournament."

Among those who have turned up in San Diego are Mickelson and Padraig Harrington, who will be making his first PGA Tour appearance of the year.

Europe is also represented by Luke Donald, who injured a wrist during last year's US Open and was out for the rest of the season, missing the Ryder Cup. "I have very high expectations of myself this year," the Englishman said. "Any time Tiger isn't in the field you feel like you have a better chance of winning."

Donald would be well advised to enjoy the luxury of such heightened expectations because Woods sounds ominously confident in a statement published on his website. "I did some work with Hank Haney [the swing coach] for a few days last week and it is all good," he said.

"Many people have asked me if my swing has changed since the surgery, and the answer is no. I'm doing all the things I've been trying to do for a long time, but I can actually hit into my left leg without my bones moving. It's a nice feeling. It is so much better than it ever has been because my bones aren't grinding against each other."

Woods' practice regime is famously stentorian but even so he has found plenty of time for activities beyond golf, not least in getting prepared for the imminent arrival of his second child sometime this month. He also traveled to Washington DC to speak at an inauguration event for Barack Obama, where he exchanged a few words with the new president and arranged to play golf with him.

"I think the thing that impressed me the most about him [Obama] was the way he carries himself," the world No1 said. "He has great leadership qualities, and his accomplishment truly embodies what's best about America. He represents what we as Americans have in common, not perceived differences."These were exceptional warm words from Woods, who has long steered clear of anything remotely political, and were in stark contrast to his stance when asked last year about the then candidate. "Oh God," he sighed. "Here we go."

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 2/5/2009
 
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