Tiger Woods strolled into Torrey Pines on Wednesday, albeit without the famous limp
he used when he won the U.S. Open in thrilling fashion in 2008.
Woods and Rocco Mediate had a tantalizing duel in a 19-hole Monday playoff, but Woods is back for the first time since then.
We remember that Monday, an extra- ordinary round filled with vivid images
of a grimacing Woods doubled over in pain. Yet with each wrinkle of the face and gimp in his step, he still executed impeccable shots.
Woods remembers that Saturday.
"Saturday probably hurt more than any other days I played," Woods said Wednesday at a standing-room-only news conference for this week's Farmer's Insurance Open. "So to perform at that level while I was feeling that much pain was something I look back on. I'm very proud of."
Woods is feeling confident and pain-free despite a winless 2010 in which he took a hiatus from the scandal of numerous affairs that led to divorce.
Nothing about his gameplan has changed, except that wins seem more plausible now.
"My expectations are the same," Woods said. "Whatever event I enter is to win the event."
He might be a different man off the course, and even though he didn't win last year he still expects it will happen with every field he joins.
Woods had the smile going and a relaxed vibe about him. He seemed comfortable and confident heading into today's start to his 2011 PGA Tour season.
The previous day, Mediate said he figured Woods would win at least four events. Woods joked, "I think the commissioner (Tim Finchem) would like me to play more than four events."
The confidence that propelled Woods to win a major with a torn anterior cruciate ligament is back. It's just if his swing will cooperate.
Woods has had so much success at Torrey Pines, winning six times as a member of the tour and Junior Worlds as well.
Even if Woods didn't have that confidence, his colleagues feel it.
The roars might be back and reverberate around the North and South courses this weekend.
"I expect that he'll be the Tiger that we've known for over a decade," Phil Mickelson said. "Unfortunately."
Woods fell to No. 3 in the rankings last week while Martin Kaymer moved to No. 2. And if European pro Ian Poulter's playful nickname "No. 3" bothers Woods at all, he wouldn't let on.
Poulter and Lee Westwood, the top-ranked player in the world, tried to entice Woods into a friendly debate Tuesday on Twitter, but Woods didn't oblige.
"It's just Poults," Woods said. "He's probably just bored and has nothing to do. I was at home and working on my game and flying out here. That's just Poults being Poults, and that's fine."
The way Woods played in the Ryder Cup and at his Chevron World Challenge - he had a four-shot lead going into the final round but squandered it to Graeme McDowell - gives him glimpses of his star power. But it would take a victory to solidify his swing change and confidence are back in championship form.
Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman tweeted: "looking fwd to him winning again and watching most media talking heads hurt themselves jumping back on his bandwagon."
Fans surely will be hoping to be rooting for a Woods who's in contention. He's playing with Mediate and Anthony Kim for today's first round and Friday's second round.
"I don't know how the computer did that," Woods said laughing. "It's kind of a surprise, isn't it? Just randomly put us together."
Mediate, asked if he thought Woods would play better this year, was immediate in response.
"Absolutely. Because he's Tiger," Mediate said. "He's tired of seeing what he's seeing. He'll fix it. He'll definitely fix it. He's not going away. I still think he's the best player. I don't care what the rankings say.
"He's had a little bit off year. A lot of things happen, we all run into those weeks or months or years for that matter of not being able to get it done. Even him, he got to feel that."
Woods felt that gimpy knee here and still won the U.S. Open. He's got that confidence back, and this time there's no hiccup in his gait.
