Tiger Woods is warming up for this week’s Open Championship using the gym of a local Liverpool fire station.
Woods is competing in his first Major Championship this year since back surgery in late March and since then he’s only competed in one event and last month’s Quicken Loans National on the PGA Tour.
Woods last weekend played 30 holes of Royal Liverool, including a dozen holes on Saturday and a full 18 holes on Sunday in the company of fellow Americans Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodlands.
However he was not out on the Royal Liverpool course on Monday for the first official day of practice and instead arrived at the driving range carrying his clubs at 4.45pm local time before being joined his caddy.
Tiger Woods carrying his own bag meets Rory McIlroy wearing shorts. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
In walking to the range Woods bumped into fellow Royal Liverpool favourite Rory McIlroy who was wearing shorts but not practicing.
Then on the range the first player he met was was good friend and fellow British Open winner, Darren Clarke.
It was the first occasion Woods had met Clarke since the Northern Irishman’s dramatic loss in weight.
“Incredible! Where has the other half of you gone,” Woods joked.
Woods spent 70 minutes hitting his long irons and woods before a short visit the practice chipping area and putting green.
Darren Clarke walks over to shake Tiger Woods hand. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The 14-time Major winner had arrived at Royal Liverpool from a nearby Liverpool region fire station where he has been working out in the fire station’s gym, and in a move that certainly has seen the number of fire officers on duty double.
Woods also impressed those watching on from the practice range grandstand and walked off just before 6pm local time continuing to be pleased with his progress.
“I’m really pleased with the way I’m hitting the ball and just shows what a new back does for you,” he smiled.
“So everything is good.”
Woods brings up the dust in hitting a practice range shot. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
And Woods is delighted with the times of his opening two rounds in this week’s 143rd staging of golf’s oldest Major.
Woods will tee off at 9.04am Thursday and 2.05pm local time Friday and in the company of Argentina’s Angel Cabrera and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.
“They’re good tee times and I’m looking forward to the week,” he said.
“I see that I am on the opposite side of the draw as Phil (Mickelson) and Adam (Scott).”
Cabrera is also pleased with his grouping with Woods and what will be the first occasion he has played alongside his fellow Masters and US Open winner in over 12 months.
“I always enjoy playing alongside Tiger and I think it will be the first time we have played together since the Wells Fargo in Charlotte last year,” he said.
“Tiger missed the cut that week but I don’t think he will miss the cut this week.
“Of course, we know he hasn’t played a lot of golf but then this is the British Open, isn’t it and he’s won three times
“So I look forward to playing with him. He’s number one.”
