Tiger’s Omega Dubai press conference: Friday

TIGER WOODS: I felt great with the putter but feeling great with the putter from 40, 50 feet is not exactly the best thing. I just didn’t hit it close enough. Didn’t hit it well. Struggled with it and had a bad warmup, as well, and just one of those days.

Q: Your first three fairways, and you hit one on 14, was there something that wasn’t clicking with the driver?

TIGER WOODS: I’ve been hitting hot pulls and every one of those things has some serious heat to it which is nice but I just need to get it online. I would rather hit the hot pull than the big flame-out, crop duster to the right.  This hot pull is fine because it’s easy to fix, it’s getting down there and just have to aim it a little bit more.

Q: The harder you try, the worse it seems to get on that or just trying to sort it out?

TIGER WOODS: It’s all aim, because my old coach was– to draw it– (indiscernible) — so that pattern is still in there right now, aiming for the right to hit a cut. Sometimes it’s a little tough. Once I get the feeling of it, I hit a few shots like that in a row, I’m good. I just never got into a position where I–

Q: Did you not have that dialed in in Turkey?

TIGER WOODS: I did. Just hasn’t materialised so far this year. I hit the ball pretty good on the South Course last week the first day. The North Course I really struggled. Haven’t hit the ball where I wanted to this week either.

Q: How much did the changing wind in the afternoon affect, did it make the golf course play that much harder?

TIGER WOODS: It did but the pins were all accessible. These were not the brutal pins.   There’s plenty of room up there and to be able to get the ball in the fairway you have to be aggressive. They are really fast but they are not that firm. So being as warm as it was, you can get the ball down there and most of the iron shots you’re going to have is between 8-iron on down, and you can attack. The scores, the golf course is definitely gettable. I don’t know how many low rounds there were in the afternoon but–

Q: Is it frustrating you or is it just part of a new year?

TIGER WOODS: It’s just part of the process. I took a long break there and didn’t really do anything much. Just trying to get my body organized and that part has materialised and that’s nice. Now just need to get the game to come around and– hopefully tomorrow, I need a lot of wind on the weekend and play two great rounds.

Q: Are you relieved that Lindsey is not going to Sochi because of the security situation?

TIGER WOODS: I’m relieved she’s not competing because of the situation in her knee. It was very unstable. As she alluded to, it was unstable just walking, so going 80 miles an hour and have a hard turn, I don’t think that’s really the wisest thing to do.

Q: You’re going to India on Tuesday?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it, finally going to go for my first time.