Which Tiger will show this week at Firestone?
In 2009, Tiger Woods won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational for the seventh time. A year later in the same tournament, Woods did the walk of shame, finishing 78th in a field of 81. At 18-over-par, it was the worst score of his professional career.
Which Tiger will show up this week at Firestone Country Club as he returns to the PGA Tour after a 12-week layoff?
It could be spectacular. But with 72 holes looming in the no-cut invitational, it also could be ugly.
| UP NEXT | ||
| WGC-Bridgestone Invitational | ||
| When » Thursday-Sunday | ||
| Where » Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio | ||
| TV » Golf Channel/CBS | ||
The uncertain state of Woods’ game is the stuff of intrigue as he tries to overcome physical problems, swing changes and his status as a fallen star.
Tuesday in Akron, Woods pronounced his strained knee and Achilles is strong again after rest and rehab.
“It feels solid. It feels stable. No pain,” Woods told reporters. “That’s one of the reasons why I took as long as I did to come back is that I want to get to this point where I can go ahead and start playing golf again like this.”
But Woods has made similar claims in the past, like before the Players Championship, where he shot 42 for nine holes, then limped off the course and claimed he was injured on his first tee shot.
On Tuesday, Woods said he began hitting drivers “two, three weeks ago.” When asked how long it’s been since he’s felt this good, Woods had a one-word answer.
“Years,” he said.
How many?
“Years plural,” Woods responded with a smile. “Just plural.”
It was the same cryptic Woods on Tuesday. In his first public comments since firing caddie Steve Williams after 12 years, Woods shed little light on why.
“I thought it was time for a change,” Woods said. “I felt that Stevie and I have had just an amazing run. Steve is a hell of a caddie, there’s no denying that. He’s helped my career, and I think I’ve helped his, as well. We’ve had a great partnership for 12 years, maybe a little bit more than that, won a bunch of tournaments, but I just felt it was time to change things up a little bit. I felt very comfortable with the move.”
Woods has enlisted the services of childhood buddy Bryon Bell, who caddied for him periodically as an amateur. Woods stressed that their association is temporary.
In the first two rounds, Woods will play with British Open champion Darren Clarke. The Northern Irishman said that Woods texted him on Sunday before the final round at Royal St. George’s, offering advice and encouragement.
“We’ve been great friends for a long time going back to when we both worked with Butch [Harmon],” Woods said. “It was great to see Darren play well. He’s gone through a lot in his life.”
And so has Woods, who attempts to put some of the pieces of his broken game back together before next week’s PGA Championship in Atlanta.
“We get four chances to peak per year, and unfortunately I was only able to try and peak for one,” Woods said. “Obviously my timetable isn’t very long.”
