Fit-again Woods on song in Florida after playing it ‘smart’

Woods was representing Albany against Lake Nona, Isleworth and Queenwood in the annual star-studded four-club challenge.

The former world No 1 was back eight days after pulling out after 11 holes of his final round in the Cadillac Championship with an Achilles tendon strain.

“I did the smart thing and prudent thing this time, hence I’m back in a week,” he said. “I’ve done it before and played through not just pain, but injury and set myself back quite a bit. That’s what I did last year and missed two major championships because of it.

“I want to be ready for Augusta (the US Masters starts two weeks on Thursday).

“I have to do the right thing. Unfortunately there are times when I’ve played when I probably shouldn’t have and it’s cost me.”

Woods and Rose opened with two birdies, had four more in five holes to turn in 30 and reached 10 under before neither could par the 16th.

Isleworth were the early leaders, Sean O’Hair and Bo Van Pelt being 12 under with two to play in the six-a-side competition, which concludes with singles matches today.

The previous night, Englishman Luke Donald regained the world No 1 ranking from Rory McIlroy when he won the Transitions Championship at Palm Harbor, Florida.

Donald clinched the tournament after he won a sudden-death play-off with South Korean Bae Sang-moon and the American pair of Robert Garrigus and Jim Furyk.

“Obviously it feels great. My focus this week was to try and win. I wasn’t really thinking about the world rankings,” Donald said.

The four finished the event locked at 13-under-par, just one stroke clear of another group of four players, on a heavily congested leaderboard.

Donald, who had closed with a bogey-free round of five-under 66, won on the first play-off hole when he drained a birdie putt from less than seven feet after a brilliant approach shot from around 157 yards out of the rough. The win provided the 34-year-old Donald with his fifth career victory on the PGA Tour and elevated him back to the top of the world rankings.

He first became No 1 last year when he beat compatriot Lee Westwood in a play-off and stayed there for 40 weeks until he was passed by McIlroy two weeks ago when the Northern Irishman won the Honda Classic. The pair are not due to play again until next month’s Masters, the first major of 2012, starting at Augusta National on 5 April.

“There might be a little bit more hype around me now,” Donald said. “But I’ve been through that. I still think Rory and obviously Tiger (Woods) will be getting a lot of the attention.”

McIlroy did not play the Transitions but was among the first to congratulate Donald, tweeting his Ryder Cup team mate within minutes of his victory.

“Well I enjoyed it while it lasted! Congrats @LukeDonald! Impressive performance!” McIlroy wrote.