Tiger eyes fresh start at PGA Tour conclusion

Lindy Rumer August 4, 2011 0

Tiger eyes fresh start at PGA Tour conclusion

AKRON: Tiger Woods was on the practice range Tuesday, just as the sun began to rise over Firestone, the first time on a PGA Tour golf course in nearly three months.

Tiger Woods

Even with the season heading toward a conclusion, Woods can’t wait to get started.

“I’m excited to compete, to play and hopefully to win the tournament,” said Woods. That part about him hasn’t changed.

In the world of golf he once ruled, it’s everything else that is so much different. Tiger Woods arrived at Bridgestone Invitational at No. 28, his lowest world ranking since the start of his full season on the PGA Tour.

Tiger Woods. Courtesy: Getty Images

With a new caddie, at least temporarily, in Bryon Bell a childhood friend who now heads a design business that is not getting much work with the downturn in the industry. Woods is no longer the dominant force in golf, having gone 20 months since his last win at the Australian Masters.

The biggest change for Woods is how he feels about his health. “The great thing is I don’t feel a thing, it feels solid, it feels stable. That’s one of the reasons why I took as long as I did to come back, is that I want to get to this point where I can go ahead and start playing golf again like this. It’s been a very long time and it feels good to go out there and hit balls like this, go practice and feel nothing and walk around and pretty much do anything I want on the golf course.”

Tiger Woods. Courtesy: Getty Images

When asked how long it had been since he felt so good physically, Woods replied, “Years,” it almost seems that long since he last played.

Woods was No. 1 in the world at the Bridgestone Invitational a year ago, he has not played since he walked off the course on the ninth hole May 12 at the Players Championship with recurring injuries to his knee and Achilles tendon.

“Trying to beat these boys,” Woods said. “That’s fun, getting out there and trying to win whether you win or fail. Just being there is such a rush, and it’s just so much fun. Trying to pull off the shots that you’ve done in practice when it matters the most, see what you’ve got. That’s fun.”