Tiger's back: Woods makes his post-Masters
return in BellSouth Classic
By PAUL NEWBERRY / AP Sports Writer
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) -- Vacation time is over for Tiger Woods.
It's time to get back to work.
After a month-long layoff since the Masters, Woods returns
to the course this week for the BellSouth Classic in suburban
Atlanta, hoping to break a 10-month winless streak on the PGA
Tour.
That's not to say Woods has been struggling this year. He's
No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings and ninth on the PGA money list
with $679,586.
A 12-stroke victory in the 1997 Masters raised the bar of expectations
to unrealistic heights. Every time Woods fails to win, everyone
asks what went wrong, a chorus that has grown louder as he seeks
to win his first PGA event since the Western Open in July.
"I've been right there," said Woods, playing in the
Atlanta area for the first time since his college days at Stanford.
"I just haven't been able to get that one shot here or there
to win it. I have been in the hunt much of the time. It's just
a matter of shooting that one round that gets you over the hump."
In the Masters, Woods proved he was human, shooting a 3-under
285 that left him six shots behind winner and close friend Mark
O'Meara. Now Woods is answering questions about having to play
catchup against other 20-something whiz kids such as David Duval,
who has won twice this year, finished second in the Masters and
already has $1,240,805.
Woods insisted he's not bothered by a little competition.
"My attitude is not going to change, won't change,"
he said. "Someone else playing well isn't going to change
my way of playing. I still practice hard, do everything the same.
It is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time."
As he did last year after winning the Masters, Woods took a
month off to recoup his strength and tinker with his game. Last
year, the move paid off with a victory in the Byron Nelson Classic,
and Woods believes it may have a similar effect this year.
"I'm feeling great about my game," he said. "It's
very difficult in competition to change your swing. When you're
off and away, you practice and work on things you need to work
on."
He's also pragmatic about those who nit-pick every aspect of
his game. For instance, some competitors have speculated that
his style of play is not equipped to handle the thick roughs of
a U.S. Open.
"As soon as I win one, the critics will say, ÔWhy
haven't you won the British?' If I can win one of those, it will
be, ÔWhy can't you win the PGA?' or ÔWhy can't you
win the Grand Slam?' There's always going to be something,"
Woods said.
"It is one of those never-ending stories. (Jack) Nicklaus
had it his entire career. You just let it run off your shoulders."
Woods decided to make his post-Masters return just two hours
away from Augusta on the 7,259-yard TPC at Sugarloaf course, which
was designed by Greg Norman and opened last year.
"I heard it is a very good golf course," Woods said.
"It is long, one of those type of courses that sets up well
for the long iron hitters."
But that wasn't the only reason.
"I felt vacation was over," Woods said, "and
it was time to get back out here and go to work."
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