POST BY IMRAN KHAN
Tiger Woods will return from injury to defend his Memorial Tournament title next week in Ohio even though he is still not completely fit.
Earlier in May the 34-year-old Woods withdrew from the Players Championship only seven holes into his final round because of a neck injury.
"Although I'm not 100%, I feel much better and look forward to competing next week," said the world number one.
At the 2009 Memorial Tournament, he hit a final-round 65 to win by one stroke.
"The doctors advised me to take a week off and rest, which I did," said Woods, referring to his rehabilitation regime following his withdrawal from the Players Championship.
"They prescribed physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication and soft-tissue massages, which I'm continuing with."
The Muirfield Village tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus, which Woods has won four times, will help serve as preparation for the US Open two weeks later at Pebble Beach.
As well as the Memorial and the US Open, Woods has also confirmed that he will play at the Open and the AT&T National.
The 14-time major champion has played only three events since returning from a self-imposed five-month exile following extra-marital revelations.
Fred Couples backs Tiger Woods to return to team golf
Fred Couples believes Tiger Woods will not turn his back on playing for the United States in team events.
Couples plans to pick Woods for the 2011 Presidents Cup against Greg Norman's International team.
And alluding to Woods' infidelity, he told Radio 5 live: "He made a mistake - we'll see how he overcomes it."
Asked if Woods would make Corey Pavin's Ryder Cup team in October he said: "I think so. I believe he's ready and all the other team-mates want him there."
Woods has been away from competitive golf since November when revelations about his private life became global news, but makes his much-anticipated return at the Masters at Augusta next week.
"I'm playing with him at Augusta," Couples said. "I hope to see him a lot and play some practice rounds. I always play with him at Augusta it's not like I'm trying to get around him.
"He's the best player in the world, he's won the thing a bunch of times, he knows how to play the course and even at my age I still learn some of the nuances about Augusta."
Couples led the US to a 19½-14½ win over the world's best without Europe at Harding Park in San Francisco in 2009 and has backed Woods to be key to winning in Melbourne next year.
He will definitely be on my team," he said. "We've talked a few times, he's my main man. I would want him to play as much as he can or as much he wants. I'm a friend of his I'm not his counsellor."
The 2011 edition will take place at Australia's Royal Melbourne club, the venue where the International team claimed its only win in eight attempts.
The US have won six of the with one win to the International side and one draw.
"It's a great honour, any kind of team event for me is a special time, I've played in a lot of Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups but being captain is a lot more fun to watch and be part of than worrying about making a four-foot putt," he said.
Couples, though, goes into the Masters in good form, the 1992 champions having won the past three tournaments on the Champions Tour in America for seniors aged 50 or over.
"When you get to Augusta you're going to have those from the very first hole, maybe a five-foot downhill curler and I've been doing pretty well putting so that will be a huge bonus.
"On the Champions Tour, there is not as much rough, they're not as long I drive the ball a long way so the courses - I'm going to say this as politely as I can - they seem easy to me now, because I'm driving it very well, but once I start spraying it they won't seem that easy.
"So that's the key for me if I drive it good and putt good I'm going to shoot good scores whether I'm at the Houston Open (this week), Augusta or at a senior event."
0 comments:
Post a Comment