News: Tiger Woods defended his decision to miss last week's PGA Tour Championship, saying the break had left him ready to compete in Shanghai's $5-million Champions Tournament, which starts tomorrow.
"You can't play 'em all, and the ones which you don't play, people are going to wish you were there to play. That's just the way it's going to be," he told a news conference yesterday. "It was actually nice to get away from the game for a little bit."
The world number one came in for criticism after pulling out of the Tour Championship for the first time in his career, citing fatigue after a season which included eight PGA Tour victories as well as the death through illness of his father.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said he understood the decision but that it was disappointing and "I'm against it." Woods said the break made sense to help him prepare for the Shanghai event and that one advantage of being a golf professional was, "We're lucky enough to plan our own schedules."
The Shanghai Champions Tournament will pit the American against a field that includes defending champion David Howell of Britain and newly-crowned Order of Merit winner Padraig Harrington. It is Asia's richest tournament.
Howell is relishing the opportunity to defend his Champions title when the tournament gets under way. The Englishman pippedWoods to win the competition last year but is up against a strong field this time round with 10 of the world's top 20 players taking part.
Also looking to make an impact are Paul Casey, Retief Goosen, Luke Donald, Harrington and Jim Furyk, who finished runner-up to Adam Scott in the Tour Championship in Atlanta at the weekend.
And 31-year-old Howell, who has been named alongside world number six Goosen and Korea's KJ Choi for the opening two rounds, knows how difficult his task will be at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
"I would like to say what an honour it is to be defending champion of the HSBC Champions tournament. Obviously it's going to be no easy task defending my title with the calibre of players like Tiger and Paul (Casey) sitting here. I'm looking forward to the challenge (of) trying to beat these two guys and the rest of the field. Everybody who is here this week has either won a tournament or is ranked as one of the world's top players. It's a great field and a great tournament."
Woods, meanwhile, expressed his delight at returning to the event dubbed the "Asian major".
Last year he finished three shots behind Howell and though determined to go one better this time round, he admitted he is just pleased to be taking part in the event. "It's great to be back here. This is my second time here in Shanghai, and last year was just a tremendous experience."
Woods has been drawn with Casey and India's Jeev Milkha Singh for the opening two rounds.
Colin Montgomerie will tee off alongside Furyk and China's Liang-Wen Chong; Harrington joins Michael Campbell and China's Zhang Lian-Wei; while Donald is alongside American Chris DiMarco and Australian Craig Parry.
