Woods Is Coming Back

The ‘Emperor of Golf’ is coming back. Tiger Woods (USA), who received a knee surgery at the end of last year, announced to come back to the PGA tour in 2 month.

Woods stated on the 7th through his official Internet homepage, www.tigerwoods.com, “The rehabilitation is smooth, so I will play starting next week.” Woods` returning stage will be the Buick Invitational (4.5 million dollars total prize money), which will be opened in the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego on the 14th. Woods, who has a sponsorship contract with the Buick, has never fell behind the 5th place in this championship including reaching the top in 1999.

Woods, who received operation after the World Challenge in last December, was absent from 5 championships in this season and has focused on rehabilitation by riding bicycles 2 hours a day, weight training, and weight lifting. He grabbed a driver and started to hit 100 practice shots a day since last week, and he showed his well being by hitting 66 shots, when he played a round of 18 with his father Earl. Woods, who said he practiced putting and approach shots at home, evaluated himself that his short game got dull.

Woods said, “The knee pain has totally gone. But I worry that the injury might come back, so I am being careful practicing. I put meaning on testing my physical condition at the Buick Invitational.”

Woods, who is aiming at the money king of the Tour for 5 consecutive seasons, is predicted to be challenged fiercely this season. Especially, Ernie Ells is leading with 1.8 million dollars of prize money along with 2 wins in the early season, and he is threatening the stronghold of Woods.

However, Woods himself is not hurrying and seems relaxed that he will raise his playing sense and go hunting for winnings with his unique concentration.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com