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Woods can gamble and play golf in Las Vegas
By TIM DAHLBERG /AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Being a defending champion isn't new to Tiger Woods. He did that last week in Florida.
Being the center of attention for the week certainly isn't new. He's been that all year.
About the only thing different for Woods in this week's Las Vegas Invitational is what he'll be able to do off the course for the first time -- legally take a small chunk of his millions into the city's casinos for some after-hours action.
"I'll be able to do things legally," Woods quipped Tuesday after a practice session at the TPC Summerlin course.
It's hard to imagine, but Woods was only a 20-year-old trying to qualify for a full season on the PGA Tour when he came here last year for the five-day tournament that annually features some of the lowest scoring on the tour.
He couldn't legally visit a blackjack table, but he ran the tables on the course, beating Davis Love III in a one-hole playoff to win for the first time as a pro.
Woods returns as the superstar he was predicted to be, winner of the Masters and three other tournaments this year and by far the leading money winner on the tour. Even a mild slump that hasn't seen him win in 15 weeks hasn't been able to mar his spectacular season.
"I can't tell you how good it feels to be out there living these dreams," Woods said.
Woods showed both his scoring ability and tremendous competitiveness here last year, rebounding from a 1-under 71 to start the week with a 63 the next day. He came from behind the final day with an 8-under 64 to tie Love, then beat him with a par on the first playoff hole.
The impact of his win was huge, not only for Woods but for the sport. No where was his attraction more apparent than the weekend last year when crowds more than doubled from previous years to watch him make a run at his first victory.
As the 90-hole tournament begins again Wednesday, tournament officials are predicting record crowds, many of whom will be out watching Woods. Ringing the 18th hole at the TPC Summerlin course are skyboxes that never existed in previous years, evidence of the popularity of his win.
One thing that hasn't changed is the ease with which the pros handle the par-72 course and the two other courses that make up the rotation the first three days of the tournament.
If the wind doesn't blow, the scores could be even lower than the 27-under total that won for Woods last year.
"You can take advantage of these fairways," Woods said. "You hit a low draw and it can run for 60 yards. that's nice. If it doesn't blow, these guys will probably go even lower. But it all depends on the weather."
Love, who won here before, is back, as is David Duval, who is looking for his third straight tournament win. The field is the strongest in the history of the tournament.
A subplot to this year's tournament will be players fighting to retain their tour cards by making the top 125 money list and others trying to make the top 30 money list to get into next week's Tour Championship.
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