With father's surgery a success, Tiger set
to return to Riviera
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tiger Woods, who first played in the Nissan
Open as a 16-year-old high school student in 1992, made it official
Friday that he will compete in the tournament next week.
Woods delayed his entry until he was certain that his father,
Earl, was on the road to recovery from heart bypass surgery.
Earl Woods, 64, had the operation Wednesday and a UCLA Medical
Center spokeswoman said Friday that he was doing well.
Tiger skipped this week's stop at Tucson so he could be with
his father.
The 21-year-old Woods, who was a golfing sensation as a youngster
growing up in nearby Cypress, Calif., has won three of the 11
PGA tournaments in which he has played since turning pro last
fall and has become a huge draw.
Nissan Open officials reported that, in anticipation of Woods'
playing in the event, requests for media credentials had more
than doubled from previous years, to more than 200.
Woods' appearance in the tournament at Riviera Country Club
will be his third. After playing on a sponsor's exemption in 1992,
he played as an amateur in the tournament the following year.
He missed the cut both times, shooting 72-75 in 1992 and 74-78
in 1993.
That figures to change when he makes his first Riviera appearance
as a pro in the tournament that begins next Thursday.
Woods began 1997 by winning the season-opening event at La
Costa, Calif., then was 18th in the Phoenix Open and second at
Pebble Beach. He played in tournaments in Thailand and Australia
the past two weeks, winning the Thai tournament and finishing
seven strokes back in the Australian Masters.
Since returning from Australia, he has spent time with his
parents and was at the hospital during the surgery Wednesday and
again the past two days, UCLA Medical Center spokeswoman Roxanne
Moster said.
The operation was performed by cardio-thorasic surgeon Dr.
Hillel Laks. No details of the surgery were made public, but Moster
said that it was anticipated that the elder Woods would be able
to go home about the end of next week.
Woods had quadruple bypass surgery 10 years ago, and last October
was hospitalized with heart problems for four days in Tulsa, Okla.,
while his son was playing in the Tour Championship.
Tiger shot his worst round as a pro - a 78 - the day his father
was hospitalized and went on to finish 21st in that tournament.
Officials of the Los Angeles tournament also announced Friday
that Fred Couples, a two-time winner at Riviera, had entered before
Friday afternoon's deadline. The field already included defending
champion Craig Stadler, two-time champion Corey Pavin, and Mark
O'Meara, who has won two tournaments this year.
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