After year absence, TPC Boston welcomes Tiger’s return
After a little fun and games with good friend Notah Begay III on Wednesday in the NB3 Foundation Challenge in Verona, N.Y., Tiger Woods went back to work Thursday, playing in the pro-am in the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass., site of this week’s second FedExCup playoff event.
Woods has thrived on the course, winning in 2006, and he’s also a two-time runner-up. This year, the stakes are higher. Not only does the tournament feature an $8 million purse, but the top 70 finishers in FedExCup points from the field of 100 players advance to the BMW Championship next week at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.
From there, the top 30 players in overall points move on to the TOUR Championship, Sept. 20-23, at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where the overall winner receives $10 million.
Woods enters this week third on the FedExCup points list. He is the lone player to win three times on the PGA Tour this season and is excited to tee it up Friday with points leader Nick Watney and Brandt Snedeker, both of whom are getting their last chance to impress U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III.
“It feels good to be back,” Woods said. “Unfortunately, last year I didn’t make the Playoffs at all and missed out on four big events. It feels good to have played well enough this year to basically secure a spot all the way through to East Lake.”
Tiger said the golf course is in fabulous condition.
“It’s in absolutely perfect shape,” he said. “I mean, it’s awesome right now. Sure, it’ll dry out a little bit come the rest of the week and get a little bit faster and more difficult.”
Woods struggled with lower back problems last week at The Barclays, where he tied for 38th.
“The back is good,” Woods said. “It was nice to have the treatment there on the weekend and then have Monday off. It’s nice this tournament starts a little bit later, so I’ve got an extra day to get some more treatment at home. I went to Notah’s event yesterday, felt great, hit it really well, and had no issues at all.”
Tiger previously won the FedExCup in 2007 and 2009. He’s had a solid season and looks to finish strong, especially on the weekend.
“Most of the year I was leading the Money List and I was No. 1 in FedExCup points,” he said. “So it’s not like it’s been that bad. It’s just a couple rounds here and there or it’s an up-and-down here and there or it’s making one putt. So that’s a good thing.”
Woods starts play Friday at 8:40 a.m. ET on the 10th tee. The tournament finishes on Monday. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation and local Boston charities.
