Tiger Woods arrived at Riviera Country Club with a battered body, competitive rust and having recently celebrated his 47th birthday, but he hasn’t lost any of his self-belief.
As he prepares to play his first tournament in seven months, Woods continued to exhibit a strong dose of confidence, just as he has throughout his career.
“I would not have put myself out here if I didn't think I could beat these guys and win the event,” said Woods at a press conference ahead of the Genesis Invitational.
It’s a statement he has uttered many times over his career. While the winner of 82 PGA Tour events has pulled of miraculous feats during his career, taking home the title this week would rank near the top.
He arrives with what he described as a bad ankle and some lingering effects of the planter fasciitis that kept him from playing the Hero World Challenge last December. While he is still able to hit the necessary shots and has practised diligently for some time, he has yet to walk four rounds of golf over four days.
There is also the matter of competitive rust. Woods hasn’t played since last year’s Open Championship, where he missed the cut after hobbling round the Old Course. But in the lead up to returning to play, he has been gradually building up his stamina.
“I hit balls basically almost every day,” he stated. “I chip and putt. I've got a neat little practice facility in my backyard, so I can do a little bit of short game work there and a little bit of progression. I've gone out to Medalist and hit balls. I've walked the golf course when I've played. Then I'll play, I'll hop in a cart when I get a little tired. And it's gone from a few holes to nine holes to the back nine and then to 18 holes and go back home, practice. So, it's just a build-up, and it's built up fantastic to get to this point. Then after this event we'll analyze it and see what we need to do to get ready for Augusta.”
While the Genesis is where Woods played on the PGA Tour for the first time after receiving an exemption at 16, this week is, in many ways, a measuring stick for the Masters. That’s where Woods’ focus is, along with the other majors.
On Monday, he went to tour around the Los Angeles Country Club where this year’s U.S. Open is being held.
What’s left of his career will be quality over quantity, something he’s accepted.
“I'm not going to be playing a full schedule, so I've got to be able to pick and choose my events and how many events I'm going to play,” Woods stated. “I alluded to last year; it's going to be probably the majors and maybe a couple more. Would I like to play more? Yes. Will it allow me to? I don't know. I have to be realistic about that.”
The Masters will be the first time Woods is reunited with those players who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. Along with Rory McIlroy, Woods has been a leader in the battle, corralling support from players and pushing changes through to commissioner Jay Monahan. He has had some harsh words for the Saudi-backed circuit since its inception and isn’t sure what the atmosphere at the Masters will be like.
“I don't know. I don't know what that reaction's going to be,” said Woods, who described the last year between the two side as turbulent. “I know that some of our friendships have certainly taken a different path, but we'll see when all that transpires. That is still a couple months away.”
This week the focus is on his game and how much his body can take. He admitted that the time he has left as a truly competitive player is running out. He has no interest in being a ceremonial participant or, for instance, in trying to surpass Arnold Palmer’s record of playing in 50 Masters.
“I know that players have played, and they are ambassadors of the game and try to grow the game,” stated Woods. “I can't have my mind – I can't wrap my mind around that as a competitor. If I'm playing in the event I'm going to try and beat you. I'm there to get a W, okay? So, I don't understand that making the cut is a great thing. If I entered the event, it's always to get a W.”
