Well, here we go again. Like Elvis in '68 we eagerly await the Tiger Woods Comeback Special. We’ve been here before, of course. Only last month, the former world No 1 who is now 898th, called off his return at the PGA Tour’s Safeway Open just three days before the start of the event, stating that his game was “vulnerable”. It was a telling concession from a man who was never prone to admitting defeat. Many reckoned one of golf’s greatest ever showman had been struck down by stage fright. This week, the stage is the Bahamas, Woods is the tournament host at his own Hero World Challenge and he’s competing against just 17 other players. As a gentle easing in after 15 months on the sidelines, it should be ideal. And at least he’s guaranteed a top 20 finish. If he manages to get through 72-holes that is. "I'm not dead, I'm ready to go,'' said Woods, who was clearly keen to play down rumours of his demise. “I'm nervous for every tournament I play in. I care. If I care, I'm nervous and it's good to be that way. To have that nervous energy and channel it into aggression, into focus, concentration - that's good stuff. If I wasn't nervous, that would mean I didn't care. I don't want to be out there flat.''
During his prolonged absence following back surgery, Woods has always talked a good game, although there was a spell this time last year when he was at a particularly low ebb and grumbled that he couldn’t see much “light at the end of the tunnel.”
There have been plenty of physical hurdles to overcome and a few mental ones too. The dreaded chipping yips which afflicted his previous, ill-fated returns to action were seen as one of the main reasons why he opted to delay his comeback at the last-minute in October. How it pans out this week is anyone’s guess but getting through four rounds with a card in his hand and simply showing that he is physically up to the task of competing again will be viewed as a successful outing. There’s no cut, it’s a well-managed, friendly environment yet it has a line-up that features some star quality. In others words, it’s a perfect warm up. The greater challenges are yet to come.
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