Tiger Woods has promised to roar back into form ‘Once the Florida Swing starts’.
Once again, the 14-time Major winner in under the microscope following an indifferent start to his 2014 season where he missed the third round cut in defence of his Farmers Insurance Open title and played poorly for three rounds of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Tiger Woods promised he will get comfortable once the ‘Florida Swing’s gets underway. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffille.ie)
The only real signs of any brilliance was when Woods birdied his closing three holes on day four in Dubai where he finished well down in a share of 41st place, and in an event Woods had won twice before.
Woods start to the New Year is similar to 2013 when he left Abu Dhabi having missed the cut with a pair of 75s.
He then was knocked out in the opening round of the WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship and finished well down in the defence of his Honda Classic crown.
But Woods then blew any talk of a slump clear out of the water when he won two events in succession, the WGC Cadillac Championship and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Invitational, and two of five victories in 2013.
In fact, 14 of Woods 79 PGA Tour wins have been in the ‘Sunshine State’.
It’s why Woods has declared: “Once the Florida Swing starts, we’re all just about building toward that one week in April. Don’t finish dead last and if you win, great!”.
It was clear to many sitting in the presence and listening to Woods ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic he had spent little time on his golf game over the festive break and instead he spent more time working out in the gym given those scenes at the Barclay’s Championship when Woods was seen to fall to one knee due to a nagging back injury.
“I took a lot of time off this winter to get ready for the season because it’s going to be a long grind,” he said.
“It took three rounds in San Diego and three rounds in Dubai before finally it clicked in and then I’d a wonderful feel for it.
“It’s not the way I’m used to starting.
“But I didn’t have the practice time I’m used to. I knew eventually it’d kick in. Unfortunately it took six rounds before it did.”
“I just have to keep building day by day. There were a couple of days where I just didn’t have it but I turned it around.”
And Woods is already on record of saying how much he is looking forward to next fortnight’s Honda Classic.
“The Honda Classic is close to my home, and I want to support it whenever I can,” Woods said.
“We have a Learning Center at Murray Middle School in Stuart, [Fla.], and this event does so much to help the community, including the efforts of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
“I’m also excited about spending time with Arnold and defending my title at his tournament and the WGC-Cadillac. I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ve done at Doral.”
