Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles ..
Tiger Woods ends a 17-month PGA Tour absence later this week backing himself he’ll be injury-free to tee-up in April’s Masters and the prospect of a fifth Augusta National green jacket.
Woods has contested on event in his absence following double back surgery and that was last month’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas where he finished 15th in the 18-player invitation field.
The 14-time Major winner today (MON) hosted his first press conference of the New Year at the ultra-exclusive Riviera Country Club located west from downtown Los Angeles and venue for February 16th starting Genesis Open that Woods is hosting.
Tiger Woods at today’s Genesis Open press conference at the Riviera Country Club.
Along with these week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego and the Genesis Open, Woods is playing four of the next five weeks including next fortnight travelling to Dubai to tee-up in the Dubai Desert Classic and an event he won in 2006 and 2008.
“I am very excited and just looking forward to competing again and getting out there and playing and being part of it again,” he said.
“I’ve had just one regular tournament in the past 17 months or so.
“I just miss being out here and miss competing with the guys so very much looking forward to this coming week.
“I feel good about playing four of the next five weeks and all I need to do and just go out there and do it and see what happens.
“But then I know feeling good about it and then going out and doing it, is a completely different matter.”
However, while Woods has only mapped out his New Year schedule up to an including the February 25th starting Honda Classic in Florida he’s confident of teeing up in the April 9th starting Masters.
“I’ve been thinking seriously about Augusta and in the past once a season ends and we go into Fall and Winter, that’s when I start thinking about Augusta,” he said.
“I’ve done that for 20 years and that was no different this time around even though I have only played the one PGA Tour event in 17 months.
“So, I am backing myself to be ready for Augusta so I would love to play, and I would love to win it.
“I’ve won it four times and I would love to win a fifth, so I am hoping that I can get everything right and if so, I will be looking forward to it.”
