A More Confident Tiger Returns to Pebble Beach
By: Rich Walcoff
Golf's most popular — and vilified — player is back at Pebble Beach this week, confident he can continue to resurrect his life and game.
Despite failing to win a PGA Tournament for two years, Woods has been in the hunt in his last four events and says he's finally healthy and relaxed.
Hard to believe it's been more than a decade since Tiger last played at Pebble Beach. Unhappy with celebrity-filled, six-hour rounds, bumpy greens and over-eager fans, one of whom bumped into him coming off the 18th green, injuring his knee, Woods returns to the AT&T Pro-Am with a different attitude.
Looking comfortable and newly clean-shaven, Tiger said he's excited about the tournament and, although the gallery can be a distraction cheering every putt for four days, "it's interesting, but you get used to it, like you do playing in the lead foursomes or pairings in other tournaments."
Tiger says the changes he's made in his game "took time, but's he's starting to see results." Of course, Pebble Beach is where Woods played his finest tournament, winning the 2001 U.S. Open by fifteen strokes.
Now, at age 36, he says he's more sore after playing games with his young son and daughter. Given the calamitous scandal that cost him a marriage, reputation and a good chunk of a once glorious career, a few aches and pains after a round of golf probably hurts so good.