Golf:Nine holes of practice had seen five balls disappear into water, but when Tiger Woods spoke to reporters in Florida today it was clear that the state of his game is not his major worry right now.
Four days after crashing to a 79 and missing the cut at Quail Hollow by an incredible eight shots, Woods looked and sounded thoroughly down as he tries to prepare for the €7.3million Players Championship, golf’s richest event.
Amid continuing reports that his Swedish wife is seeking a divorce over the sex scandal that rocked sport five months ago, the world number one admitted that his emotional turmoil is impacting on his golf.
“Absolutely,” said Woods, who has Ian Poulter as one of his two partners in the opening two rounds at Sawgrass and who could lose top spot in the rankings to Phil Mickelson if he is outside the first five on Sunday.
“I’ve had two different low moments. Obviously what I’m going through now and then my father’s death.”
This is the third event of his comeback. In the first he managed what many considered, given the circumstances, a brilliant fourth place in The Masters, but last week was arguably the worst of his career.
Invited to compare this return to golf to last year after an eight-month injury lay-off he replied: “This is more taxing certainly away from the golf course with paparazzi following me and all those kind of things.
“I didn’t have the distractions getting ready for events. You know, helicopters don’t normally fly over you on the range and kind of hover and film you.
“That wasn’t the case then, but that’s the case now.”
And when asked whether he was angry or surprised about the Sports Illustrated article in which nearly a quarter of players polled said they thought he had taken performance-enhancing drugs he answered: “After what’s happened in my life?
“Well, I haven’t taken it. I’ve never taken performance-enhancing drugs, never taken HGH (human growth hormone), never taken any of that stuff.
“But everyone is entitled to their opinion.”
As for how he is playing Woods added in spite of some of the evidence of his morning’s work: “It’s getting better, no doubt. It couldn’t get any worse.
“I don’t like missing cuts (he has only ever missed six as a professional and never two in a row) and it’s just one of those things where just a little bit of work, tighten things up a little bit and get refocused for this event.”
There are rumours that he and coach Hank Haney could be parting company, but on that he stated: “I’m still working with him.”
He was also categorical that the man advertising his “Grand Slam” irons on ebay for €250,000 does not have the real thing.
“They’re in my garage,” he said.
Because of how he played last week Woods is only joint favourite with Mickelson this time — and bookmakers William Hill’s think that has not happened since the 1996 Masters.
Because of how Rory McIlroy played last week — closing rounds of 66 and 62 to win his first US Tour title by four — he is listed as third favourite.
Woods is as impressed as anyone by the Northern Irishman, who turned 21 today.
“Rory hits it past me. I shrimp it out there now,” he said after praising not only McIlroy, but also 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa for his 58 in Japan on Sunday.
“I think it’s how the game has evolved. With the advent of technology these kids are able to view their swings via a camera and make improvements so much faster and earlier.
“Their golf swings are so much better at an earlier age, even from when I grew up.”
Anthony Kim, one of the hottest players on the US Tour, has withdrawn from this week's event because of an injured left thumb.
Despite dealing with the bad thumb, the world number 11 won last month's Houston Open, finished third at the Masters and tied for seventh at last week's Quail Hollow championship.
"This injury has been well documented over the past month, and I've been doing everything I can to play through it, but it became more of an issue last week and needs to be looked at," said Kim
"I'm extremely disappointed to have to miss The Players Championship, but will consult with my doctors this week and follow their recommendations for treatment."
Kim, who played with eventual champion McIlroy on Sunday at Quail Hollow, had said last week he would likely need surgery to reattach the ligament between his index finger and left thumb some time this year.
Fellow-American Chad Collins replaced Kim.
Yesterday, third-ranked American Steve Stricker withdrew with a sore right shoulder and was replaced by compatriot Spencer Levin.
The championship at TPC Sawgrass, considered the "fifth major" by the players, begins on Thursday.
Tee- times in the first round of The Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra, Florida, United States of America
(USA unless stated, all times Local):
(x) denotes amateurs
Starting at hole 1
0715 Michael Allen, Charley Hoffman, Martin Kaymer (Ger)
0726 Rodney Pampling (Aus), Marc Leishman (Aus), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)
0736 Woody Austin, Greg Owen (Eng), Jeff Klauk
0747 Stewart Cink, Troy Matteson, Adam Scott (Aus)
0757 Nathan Green (Aus), Justin Leonard, Chris Couch
0808 Camilo Villegas (Col), Ryan Palmer, J.B. Holmes
0818 Matt Kuchar, Ben Crane, Paul Casey (Eng)
0829 Mark Wilson, Andres Romero (Arg), Ben Curtis
0839 Martin Laird (Sco), Heath Slocum, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa)
0850 J.P. Hayes, Paul Goydos, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)
0900 J J Henry, Luke Donald (Eng), Chris Stroud
0911 Vaughn Taylor, Aaron Baddeley (Aus), Robert Karlsson (Swe)
1225 Alex Cejka (Ger), Ricky Barnes, Nicholas Thompson
1236 Bill Lunde, Kevin Stadler, Oliver Wilson (Eng)
1246 John Senden (Aus), Harrison Frazar, Bubba Watson
1257 Bo Van Pelt, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Mike Weir (Can)
1307 Davis Love III, Michael Bradley, D.J. Trahan
1318 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Kenny Perry, Pàdraig Harrington (Irl)
1328 Tiger Woods, Hunter Mahan, Ian Poulter (Eng)
1339 Ryan Moore, Derek Lamely, Lucas Glover
1349 Lee Westwood (Eng), Jason Day (Aus), Rickie Fowler
1400 Jeff Quinney, Jason Dufner, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha)
1410 Scott McCarron, Charles Howell III, Steve Marino
1421 Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Jeff Overton, Scott Piercy
Starting at hole 10
0715 Brian Davis (Eng), Tim Clark (Rsa), Alex Prugh
0726 Chad Campbell, D.A. Points, Michael Letzig
0736 George McNeill, Nick O’Hern (Aus), Kevin Streelman
0747 Vijay Singh (Fij), Cameron Beckman, Richard S Johnson (Swe)
0757 Stephen Ames (Can), Trevor Immelman (Rsa), David Toms
0808 Jim Furyk, Jason Bohn, Henrik Stenson (Swe)
0818 Ernie Els (Rsa), Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson
0829 Brian Gay, Pat Perez, Fred Couples
0839 Mark Calcavecchia, Zach Johnson, Fred Funk
0850 Bryce Molder, Chad Collins, Ross Fisher (Eng)
0900 Kevin Sutherland, Charlie Wi (Kor), John Merrick
0911 Bob Estes, Lee Janzen, Webb Simpson
1225 Jay Haas, Justin Rose (Eng)
1236 Kevin Na, James Driscoll
1246 Brandt Snedeker, Briny Baird, John Mallinger
1257 Jerry Kelly, Ryuji Imada (Jpn), Steve Flesch
1307 John Rollins, Scott Verplank, Nick Watney
1318 Sean O’Hair, Y.E. Yang (Kor), Robert Allenby (Aus)
1328 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Bill Haas, K J Choi (Kor)
1339 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Daniel Chopra (Swe), Boo Weekley
1349 Jimmy Walker, Brett Quigley, Matt Bettencourt
1400 Jonathan Byrd, Greg Chalmers (Aus), Francesco Molinari (Ita)
1410 Ted Purdy, Tim Petrovic, Roland Thatcher
1421 James Nitties (Aus), Mathew Goggin (Aus), Graeme McDowell (NIrl)
1431 Brendon De Jonge, Spencer Levin, Kris Blanks