Tiger Woods returns to competition this week a last-up winner on the PGA Tour having replaced the trepidation and uncertainty of a year ago with an eagerness in capturing an eighth Farmers Insurance Open.
Woods got his first look at the host Torrey Pines course in some twelve months when he played a nine-hole practice round in the company of Jordan Spieth.
Spieth quizzed Woods during their round as to how long he had been visiting the stunning clifftop course overlooking the Pacific Ocean to the north of San Diego.
“I haven’t played on the Tour since September, so it’s been a while and looking forward to getting started, looking forward to getting out there and playing,” said Woods.
Tiger Woods eager to get 2019 off on a positive note. (Photo @tourmiss)
“This is a golf course property that I’ve always loved. Jordan asked me today as we were playing, he said, “How long have you been coming down here?” I said, “Well, 10 years longer than you’ve been alive.”
“I’ve been coming out here quite a bit. This is the first PGA Tour event that I ever attended with my dad when this was the old Andy Williams tournament.
“To have won on this property and had the success I’ve had, it’s been a lot of fun and looking forward to getting out there this week. The rough’s up after the weather they had last week and it’s going to be important to really hit the ball well.”
Twelve months ago, there was many ready to right off Woods before his Torrey Pines tee-off and also after eventually sharing 23rd place behind Australia’s Jason Day.
It took just three events to silence those critics when Woods fell one shot shy of forcing a play-off in the Valspar Chamionship. Woods then led, albeit for two holes, during the final round of the Open (British) Championship at Carnoustie while he drew record crowds to Bellerive when he got himself into contention a few weeks later at the PGA Championship.
Woods finially ended a more than five-year winless drought amid emotional scenes at the Tour Championship in suburban Atlanta.
“My expectations are now way different to a year ago,” he said.
“I know what my body can and cannot do. So last year was very fluid and it was like trying to hit a moving target last year. It was quite interesting to try and figure it all out as the year progressed and it evolved.
“This year I have a great understanding of what I can and can’t do. There’s not uncertainty that I had going into the year last year after what I did at the end of last year. Playing seven out of nine weeks was quite a bit. Body held up better than I thought it would, even though I got pretty tired at the end. Overall, it held up pretty good.”
Woods revealed his back now feels so strong he spent the off-season deep-sea diving in the Bahamas and off the coast of Florida, and using backpack air tanks.
“One of the best things I did in the off-season was get back into diving again and be able to do some spear fishing and free driving is something that I truly missed,” he said.
“Even tank diving, I haven’t tank dived in years;
“I just can’t afford to have that weight on my back and compressing my disk and my disk was already screwed up.
“So whenever you put any weight on it, it made it worse. I haven’t tank dove in years and to be able to do that again, to be able to get in the water and free dive, put the fins on and load the body up and drop down like that, that was something I truly missed. I love being in the water.”
Woods only health issue is a head cold and something he had picked-up from one of his children.
Woods will play the opening two rounds in the company of Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau.
