Tiger Woods didn’t take long to sink his teeth into the media attending this week’s Waste Management Phoenix over reports about his missing tooth saga.

Woods is returning to competition for a first time since finishing in last place in the Hero World Challenge at Isleworth in suburban Orlando.

However during the festive break Woods traveled to Italy to support girlfriend Lindsey Vonn who was contesting a World Cup ski event.

But then Woods didn’t count on getting his tooth broken by a photographer.

Tiger Woods again flashing that famous 14-time Major winning smile. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)

And with his front teeth now repaired Woods seemed very upset in explaining the real story behind the 14-time Major winner losing his tooth. “Yeah, that didn’t feel very good. Two different podiums in skiing. When they come down from the run, the top three are always there end of the run,” said Woods.

“After every race is completed, then they move that up on the hill so all the photographers can do their deal and champagne and whatever it is out there in the middle of the run. Lindsey had finished up. I walked up to the top. I had my mask on so no one knew who I was, trying to blend in, because there is not a lot of brown dudes at ski races, okay? (Laughter.)

“Yeah, hey, we blend in, wouldn’t we? So that was the whole idea of why I wore the mask, and then I came up above. I was looking down, and all the camera guys are below me on their knees or moving all around, trying to get a picture because she’s hugging people, saying congratulations to the other racers as they are coming down. Some already finished, some are there already in the changing area.

“A dude with a video camera on his shoulder, right in front of me, kneeling, stood up and turned and caught me square on the mouth. He chipped that one, cracked the other one. And so then, you know, I’m trying to keep this thing so the blood is not all over the place, and luckily he hit the  one I had the root canal on. That’s the one that chipped. But the other one had to be fixed, as well, because it had cracks all through it.”

Then Woods spoke of the repairs to his front teeth and how uncomfortable it was for him on the flight home to Florida.

“Oh, Jesus, the flight home was a joke. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink until he fixed them, put the temporaries on,” he said. I couldn’t have anything touch it. Even breathing hurt, because any kind of air over the nerve, the tooth that was still alive, was cracked.

“I had to fly home and get it done and first thing in the morning, which was nice.

Qn: Did the photographer even know he had done that?

TIGER WOODS: He didn’t care.

Qn: What did you make of the thought that this incident got so much play?

TIGER WOODS: It’s a new world. We need to talk about something. Have to fill up space. The story is  about Lindsey breaking the record. That’s the story. I mean, jeez, we all have — every sport you get teeth knocked out, and unfortunately I wasn’t actually competing and got my teeth knocked out. These are permanent, yeah.

Qn: Both are permanent?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah.

Qn:  What made you choose that mask?

TIGER WOODS: Do you play Ghost Recon? Then you don’t know. (Laughter.)

Qn: So many people are not believing your story.

TIGER WOODS: Dude, you guys, it’s just the way the media is. It is what it is.

Qn: It’s not just the media.

TIGER WOODS: It is just what it is.