Tiger knows East Lake well; course suits his eye

A big pay day isn’t the only thing at stake for Tiger Woods this week in the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

While Woods enters as the points leader in the FedExCup Playoffs, with the winner receiving a $10 million bonus, he is also chasing his ninth Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average and PGA TOUR Player of the Year honors for the 10th time. He has already secured his 10th money title.

Tiger is also trying to win six or more tournaments for the seventh time in his 17-year pro career, something he last accomplished in 2009.

“I’d like to get a sixth win,” Woods said Wednesday. “And we’ll see what happens.”

A two-time FedExCup winner, Tiger has a strong track record at East Lake, capturing the TOUR Championship in 1999 and 2007 and finishing as runner-up four times.

“I’ve had a good run here,” Woods said.

Tiger feels very comfortable at East Lake and did not play a practice round this week, partly because of the Monday finish at the BMW Championship, but also to rest a sore back and because he knows the course so well. He spent about an hour chipping and putting Wednesday.

“I’ve played this golf course when it has been baked out and hot and dry and firm, and I’ve played when it’s been rainy and cold and miserable,” Tiger said. “You start to understand how to play it.”

At his pre-tournament press conference, Woods said he is hopeful that PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem will take a closer look at how much impact call-in viewers have on possible rules violations. On Tuesday, Finchem admitted it’s an uncomfortable situation, especially for a high-profile player like Woods, whose every move is scrutinized by video cameras and photographers.

“There needs to be a time limit, and I think there needs to be a discussion, obviously, where is that time limit,” Woods said.

Last week, Tiger was penalized two strokes after completing his third round when TOUR officials determined his ball moved when he removed a twig on the first hole. Although Woods believes the ball oscillated and never changed position, a freelance videographer filmed the incident and alerted rules officials of the possible violation.

“What’s going to happen over the course of time?” Woods said. “Is every player going to be mandated to have a camera follow them around everywhere they go — all 156 players for every shot? Or is there a certain time limit when we’re going to have to do it? Is it going to change in the digital age? These are all questions that need to be resolved in the near future.”

Tiger was also penalized this year for improper drops at the Abu Dhabi Championship and the Masters Tournament. In the latter, a television viewer called in the violation, and Woods was penalized two strokes after he signed his scorecard. He could have been disqualified, but tournament officials determined they should have informed him of his mistake before he signed his card.

“I have had plenty of rulings over the course of my time out on TOUR,” Woods said. “I can’t remember another year in which this has happened like this, but it’s kind of just the way it’s been and the way it goes.”

Tiger begins first-round play Thursday at 2 p.m. ET in the final twosome with Henrik Stenson.