A healthy Tiger is ready for another shot at Cadillac
A healthy Tiger Woods returns this week to the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at TPC Blue Monster at Doral in Miami.
Last year, Woods opened with rounds of 72-67-68, but withdrew after 11 holes in the final round due to a left leg injury. He felt pain in his Achilles warming up and limped noticeably during the round. After hitting his tee shot on the 12th hole, he decided not to risk further injury.
“It was at a point that if I kept going, yeah, I could have pushed it, just like when I came back and tried to play THE PLAYERS,” he said Wednesday, after completing a windy nine-hole practice round. “I learned my lesson from THE PLAYERS and I didn’t do it, and consequently I was able to go on and win the next tournament I played in, which was Bay Hill.”
Tiger hurt his knee and Achilles during the third round of the 2011 Masters at Augusta National. Although he finished the tournament, he withdrew from THE PLAYERS a month later after nine holes in the first round.
Woods said he is now pain-free and stronger, and doesn’t worry about re-injuring himself.
“I’ve made some pretty significant gains in my strength,” said Woods. “That’s one of the reasons why I’m hitting it further. I have my legs underneath me.”
Woods, playing for the third consecutive week, tied for 37th last Sunday at The Honda Classic. Despite shooting a disappointing final-round 74, he played decent golf most of the week in cold, windy conditions.
Tiger tied for 11th in greens in regulation, tied for third in eagles per hole, tied for 10th in driving distance and tied for third in proximity to the hole.
Woods will look to make more birdies and improve his scrambling this week. He tied for 46th in birdie average at The Honda Classic, finished 38th in putting and tied for 47th in scrambling, converting only 13 of 25 times when he missed a green.
He will also try to avoid double bogeys. For only the third time in a non-major tournament, he carded four last week.
Swing coach Sean Foley walked with him Wednesday.
“We are working on the same exact things,” Woods said. “It hasn’t changed. We are just trying to refine it. We are trying to maneuver the golf ball both ways, be efficient.”
Tiger has won the tournament six times — in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He also captured the 2005 and 2006 Ford Championship at Doral.
“I like the venue,” he said. “This course has been good to me over the years.”
Woods begins first-round play Thursday at 11:53 a.m. ET on the 10th tee with Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald. On Friday, they start on the first tee at 12:50 p.m. ET.
