I want to go out and compete: Tiger Woods

AGENCIES
Posted on 2009-01-07
LOS ANGELES — In a season of unknowns, count on the much anticipated return of Tiger Woods to brighten a golf landscape dimmed in 2008 by his injury absence and clouded in 2009 by the world’s economic woes.Just when and where Woods will make his return, and just how good he will be, are the burning questions for golf fans as the curtain rises on the USPGA Tour season with the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua, Hawaii, on Thursday.
Among Tour officials and players, questions are brewing as to how golf will weather the economic storm.
The European tour is touting its purse-boosting “Race to Dubai,” capped by the $10 million Dubai World Championship and featuring an additional $10 million bonus pool.
But even as emerging US stars Anthony Kim and Boo Weekley and Colombian Camilo Villegas joined the European tour to give themselves a shot at the spoils, US tour commissioner Tim Finchem was urging players to boost their schedules.
Woods, of course, is the biggest money-spinner in the game, boosting galleries and television ratings wherever he competes and generally upping the buzz that sponsors love.
“He drives the game of golf,” as Phil Mickelson said this year. “He drives television ratings, the sponsors need him in their events, and the fans turn out to see him, so we need him back as soon as possible.”
The US superstar hasn’t played since undergoing major reconstructive knee surgery in the wake of his epic US Open triumph in June, achieved with a torn knee ligament and a double stress fracture in his left leg.
Woods said in December that his rehabilitation was progressing, and he had begun hitting some irons.
But he said it was too soon to predict a date for a return to competition.
“I don’t know how it’s going to respond, you know, with repeated practice days and long days of practice trying to get back, and ultimately playing my way into shape,” Woods said. “That’s obviously going to take a little bit of time.”
Certainly the 14-time major champion wants to play the Masters, and preferably a warm-up event or two before the first major of the year tees off at Augusta National in early April.
Whenever he does return, Woods knows he’ll face stiff competition from a bevy of young players who broke out in 2008, as well as from perennial rivals like Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who will be seeking to carry the momentum of two major titles in 2008 into the new season.
Kim, a sensation as a Ryder Cup rookie in America’s victory over Europe, Villegas and crowd-pleasing Weekley will all be trying to build on their successes.
Woods noted that a more consistent Sergio Garcia could be dangerous in 2009, when the charismatic Spaniard will once again be in search of an elusive major crown.
Garcia’s victory at the Players championship boosted his confidence, and he closed the year with a tie for second at the PGA Championship and playoff defeats in two of the four tournaments in the US tour’s FedExCup playoffs.
Woods also predicted Harrington will be brimming with the kind of confidence that breeds success.
“He got it done the right way,” Woods said of Harrington’s victories in the British Open and PGA Championship. “He went out and earned it. That gives you a lot of confidence.
“To see the young guys playing better only is going to make it deeper next year and more difficult to win events,” Woods added.
But Woods says he believes he will return in better physical shape than ever.
“The strength has come back better than ever. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my legs,” said Woods, who was already battling the knee injury when he finished runner-up to South African Trevor Immelman at the Masters last year.
In his truncated 2008, Woods won four of the six US tour events he entered and a sixth overseas title.
He took his career PGA Tour victory total to 65, passing legends Arnold Palmer and the late Ben Hogan, to move into third place on the all-time list.
With his left knee healthy at last, Woods will again be a formidable foe, and hungry to make up for lost time.
“I want to be out there and competing and trying to mix it up with the boys,” Woods said.