Resurgent Tiger Woods is major player again

A FORTNIGHT ago, he looked bound for the knacker’s yard after limping out of the Cadillac Championship. Now, looking like a thoroughbred again, he’s heading for Augusta National in a week’s time back where he’s spent most of the last decade – as the favourite heading into a major.

Having shown signs that he was edging his way back to form – he played well in two tournaments in Australia towards the end of last year before winning his own unofficial event, the Chevron World Challenge in California – Tiger Woods finally delivered the goods again on the PGA Tour.

Silencing those who’d been doubting his ability ever since the sex scandal that turned his life upside down more than two years ago, the 36-year-old ended a 30-month title drought by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Florida for a remarkable seventh time, beating second-placed Graeme McDowell by five shots on Sunday.

It was the 72nd PGA Tour win of his career and catapulted him to sixth, a rise of 12 spots, in the world rankings, leaving Europe’s big guns – Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer – as well as the leading American, Steve Stricker, firmly in his sights heading into the start of the new major season.

“I am excited, there’s no doubt,” said Woods in looking forward to next week’s Masters, where he will be chasing the 15th major of his career but first since the 2008 US Open. “It’s always fun to get there and play and I’m looking forward to the momentum I’ve built up here.”

That head of steam, in truth, has been building since the former world No 1 finished third behind Greg Chalmers in the Australian Open, then clinched victory for the US in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.

The praise was lukewarm when he returned home to beat his own invited field at Thousands Oaks, outside Los Angeles, before the vultures started circling again when he failed to start the 2012 season with the flourish he’d perhaps been expecting.

Eyebrows were raised when he lost out to Robert Rock, a European Tour journeyman, in the final round of the HSBC Golf Championship in Dubai before being blown away by his long-time adversary, Phil Mickelson, in the last circuit of the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

A much better last day, an eight-under-par 62, then saw him push McIlroy to the wire in the Honda Classic at the beginning of the month, yet the buzz from that was soon washed away as Woods, citing an Achilles’ problem, withdrew during the final round of the WGC event in Miami to leave his participation in the Masters seemingly in serious doubt.

Not any more. What was diagnosed as “a mild strain” has quickly cleared up and, perhaps, people have been right to ask if Woods simply threw in the towel when he was out of contention a fortnight ago, though anyone who can recall how hard he tried in the worst of the weather during the third round of the 2002 Open at Muirfield would, surely, find that difficult to imagine.

What we do know for sure is that Tiger stirred up excitement the moment he hit the front at Bay Hill on the back of a second-round 64. He was still the man to catch heading into the final round, yet probably went into that with more to lose than any round of golf he’s played. Just imagine the reaction if he’d blown it on red shirt day? He didn’t and never looked like blowing it. Now a fifth Green Jacket looks within his capabilities as well.

“It’s nice [winning before the Masters]. I’ve won here on a few occasions going into Augusta which has always been a good feeling,” said Woods. “I’ve gone into Augusta with wins and without wins. You’re looking for one week, that’s all. Hopefully everything comes together for that one week.

“I understand how to play Augusta National and it’s just a matter of executing the game plan. They have made a couple of little subtle changes out there but, overall, the golf course is still basically the same, so I’m looking forward to it. I still have got some work to do, but I’m excited about the things that we [Woods and coach Sean Foley] have accomplished. It’s been very good.”

For all that Woods, in his first press conference following revelations of a whole series of extra-marital affairs that led to divorce and saw him lose some sponsors, promised to become a better person, there has been little sign of that, though it was pleasing that he at least allowed himself a smile as he lined up a putt on the 72nd hole at Bay Hill as the relief of winning again started to sink in.

In the excerpts released so far, he has been painted as being cold and callous by Hank Haney, his former coach, in the book, The Big Miss, that hits the bookshelves today, having been timed to coincide with the countdown to The Masters. He’ll be getting more mud flung his way over the coming days, too, yet it speaks volumes for Woods that he was able to forget Haney and win. In doing so, he is now just one short of matching the PGA Tour title haul by Jack Nicklaus, whose 18 major wins is his primary target, even though Woods himself insists that is of less significance than winning The Masters itself on Sunday week.

“It’s nice, but I’m looking forward to more of the Green Jacket part of it than tying Jack in that regard,” he said. “Jack’s had an amazing career and he’s won a bunch of tournaments – but also he’s won more majors than anybody else. So I’m looking forward to my opportunities this year. There’s four of them [majors] this year and hopefully I can peak at the right times for all four.”

With Donald, McIlroy and Mickelson having won as well in the opening few weeks of the season, the 2012 majors menu, which also includes visits to The Olympic Club in San Francisco (US Open), Royal Lytham (The Open) and Kiawah Island (USPGA Championship), looks tastier than ever. “It is good for the game,” observed Colin Montgomerie yesterday of Woods returning to winning ways. “The last three years have been difficult, but to have him back winning is good for golf – everybody is talking about it.”

• TOURNAMENT host Arnold Palmer missed Tiger Woods’ comeback victory at Bay Hill after being taken to hospital due to a blood pressure problem.

The 82-year-old, who normally presents the trophy to the winner on the 18th green, had been on the Bay Hill course and made a television appearance earlier on Sunday but left before the end of the event.

He had been monitoring his blood pressure after recently changing his medication, said former Rangers director Alastair Johnston, a member of Palmer’s management team.

Palmer’s doctor recommended he go to a nearby hospital for closer monitoring and Johnston said he had been instructed to stay there overnight.

“About 15 minutes prior to the end of play, he had gone out for what was a routine test and the blood pressure was at a level where the doctor involved suggested that he go immediately to get more intensive evaluation at the hospital,” said Johnston.

“Nobody is overly concerned about the prognosis, although he is going to remain in the hospital overnight for observation.”