Tiger Woods arrived in Dubai brushing off any concern over last weekend’s indifferent start to his 2014 season declaring ‘it was one of those trains he couldn’t get off’.
The World No. 1 posted his worst score ever on American soil and his second poorest round ever since turning professional in a round of 79 to crash out in the defence of his Farmers’ Insurance Open title.
Woods left the Torrey Pines avoiding reporters and returning straight to his Florida home where he spent Sunday working on his putting in his backyard.
He then travelled later that day from Florida via London and arriving in Dubai Monday night local UAE time ahead of competing in Thursday’s starting 25th anniversary Dubai Desert Classic.
As part of those celebrations Woods joined 19 former Dubai winners, and also including Javier Ballesteros and the son the late Seve Ballesteros, competing in a $US 600,000 ‘Former Champions Challenge’.
Woods raced to the top of the leader board with three birdies in succession from the second and then a long birdie putt at seven.
However he failed to maintain the momentum playing the next 10 holes finding water guarding at the ninth for a bogey and also at the adjoining 18th green for a double bogey and a round of a one under par 71.
“I wouldn’t read anything into what happened on Saturday at Torrey Pines,” he said.
“It was just one of those days that happens and it was one of the trains I just couldn’t get off of,” he said.
“There was nothing different with my ball-striking today compared to last Saturday. I went home and had a nice day off, worked on putting a bit in the back yard and that was it.
“I am not that far off. It’s just that I had one bad day and that happens.”
Woods, winner in Dubai in 2006 and 2008, contested the ‘Former Champions Challenge’ in the company of fellow past champions in Fred Couples (1995) and Stephen Gallacher, the Scotland-born defending champion.
It had been the first time since the 1995 Walker Cup at Royal Portcawl in Wales Woods and Gallacher had competed alongside each other.
“It was fun and I hadn’t played with Stephen in a long time, so it had been a while,” said Woods.
“We were reminiscing to way back when to the Walker Cup at Royal Portcawl in ’95, and playing with Fred is always a blast as I have known him for so long. He’s almost been like a big brother to me over the years.”
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello shot six under par 66s to finish tied in first place and earn $US 250,000 each.
Stenson ended last week’s Qatar Masters birdying his closing four holes and retuned to Dubai where he won in 2007 to produce bogey free display.
And the reigning European No. 1 and FedEx Cup champion could count himself unlucky when his putt for eagle at 18 hit the edge of the hole for the easiest of birdies.
“The Challenge turned out to be pretty competitive, and when you feel like you have a chance to do something good, you get going and I was trying hard to make birdies,” said the Swede.
“The eagle putt at the last just shaved the edge and it would have been nice if it went it.
“Overall, it’s a great way to start the celebrations this week sharing victory with Rafa.”
Rory McIlroy and Alvario Quiros shared third place and $25,000 each with rounds of four under par 68s.
