Monday, February
10, 2003
Woods
to end two-month recovery at Buick Invitational
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
It's time for Tiger
Woods to get back to work.
Woods, who spent
the last two months recovering from knee surgery, will end the
longest layoff of his career next week when he returns to the
PGA Tour in San Diego.
"Things are
progressing nicely, and I will officially enter the Buick Invitational
on Thursday," Woods said on his Web site.
In a conference call
last week, Woods reported no pain in his left knee. He played
18 holes for the first time Tuesday with his father and shot 66.
"The real test
comes next week at Torrey Pines," he said. "That's when
I will find out how the knee holds up in competition and what,
if any, effect walking the course has on it."
The Buick Invitational
is a good spot for him to return.
Along with having
an endorsement deal with Buick, Woods won the tournament in 1999
and has never finished worse than fifth.
Plus, it will give
him a chance to visit with Phil Mickelson, one of his chief rivals
who caused a buzz this week by saying Woods has "inferior"
clubs and is the only player "good enough to overcome the
equipment he's stuck with."
Mickelson later said
his comments to Golf Magazine were taken out of context and that
he meant to explain Woods' talent.
"I heard it
was said in fun and jest, but until I talk to him, I really don't
know," Woods said. "Quite frankly, questioning my equipment
is foolish. I'm not going to play with anything that is going
to hold me back. My career will be judged on how much I've won."
No one has won more
than Woods among active players. He has 34 victories on the PGA
Tour, and has an 8-0 margin on Mickelson in the majors.
"I really don't
worry about other players or what they think," Woods said.
"The real measuring stick on the PGA Tour is how much you
win, and that is what drives me to compete at such a high level."
Woods has never missed
more than five weeks since turning pro, but recurring pain in
his left knee forced him to have arthroscopic surgery Dec. 12
to remove fluid and benign cysts that caused his ligaments to
swell.
Doctors cleared him
to practice without restriction on Jan. 25, and he reported no
pain. Woods said his knee hurt so much at times last year that
he felt sick to his stomach and sometimes took painkilling injections.
He still won six
times around the world, including two majors.
"I haven't been
my best for a couple of years now, so that part I'm really excited
about _ not waking up every day ... having to look forward to
the day of walking and playing because my knee's hurting so bad,"
he said.
Woods has hardly
been idle. He has been riding exercise bikes, running and lifting
weights during his rehabilitation, and said his stamina is good.
The only question
mark is rust, although Woods historically has played well following
four- and five-week layoffs.
"As far as my
expectations, they won't change," he said. "I always
go into a tournament expecting to win. Of course, I have to be
realistic, too. I haven't played competitive golf since early
December, and I'm coming off knee surgery.
"If my body
is not ready to perform, there is nothing I can do."
There will be plenty
at stake in San Diego. Woods ended last year having made 96 consecutive
cuts, a streak that has taken him five years to amass. He is 18
tour events away from breaking Byron Nelson's record of 113.
A year ago at Torrey
Pines, Woods had to make a tricky 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th
hole of the second round just so he wouldn't miss the cut. He
eventually tied for fifth.
He also finds himself
behind in his pursuit of a record fifth consecutive PGA Tour money
title. Ernie Els won the first two PGA Tour events and has $1.8
million. Vijay Singh won the Phoenix Open and also appears poised
to have a big year.
Still, Woods doesn't
play much early in the year and he has missed only two tournaments
he normally plays _ the season-opening Mercedes Championships
and Pebble Beach, which he had planned to skip even before surgery.
The last tournament
Woods played was his unofficial Target World Challenge in California,
where he bogeyed the final hole and finished two behind Padraig
Harrington.
___
On the Net: www.tigerwoods.com
www.tigertales.com
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