Feb. 26, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff
After an eight-month absence following surgery on his left knee, Tiger Woods has returned to the PGA TOUR at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championships. PGATOUR.COM has all the Tiger coverage you need.
| Tiger at the Accenture Match Play Championship |
| Second Round |
| LOSS TO CLARK, 4 AND 2: Tiger Woods hit a shot out of bounds on the 15th hole, and that was pretty much where the match became unsalvageable. Tim Clark didn't make a bogey all day and dominated with his short game. Click for scorecard. |
| HIS GLASS IS HALF FULL: PGATOUR.COM's Helen Ross writes that though Tiger Woods will not come away a winner this week, he's leaving Arizona happy with where his game is and ready to get back to work. "I'm very pleased actually with the way I hit the golf ball," Woods said. "I didn't make enough birdies today. I made some yesterday, just didn't make enough today. But I hit the ball well the last two days and that's encouraging." Click for Ross column. |
| A GLIMPSE OF THE MAGIC: Tiger holed a bunker shot on the 14th. That was the moment where, 3 down to Tim Clark, everyone watching held their breath and thought "this is where he'll turn it around." Click to watch. |
| COMBEACK CONCEDED: After missing a putt to give himself a chance, Woods conceded Clark's putt -- and the match -- on the 16th hole for a 4 and 2 loss. Click to watch. |
| INTERVIEW: Woods and Clark briefly discuss their match. Click to watch. |
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| First Round |
| OFF TO GOOD START: Tiger defeated Brendon Jones 3 and 2. Woods birdied his first hole and never looked back in beating the little-known Australian. Tiger wasn't perfect, though -- he made three birdies and an eagle, as well as three bogeys. "I hit the ball well starting out," Tiger said. "Hit a couple of loose irons in the middle part of the round, but other than that, I really hit it pretty good all day." Click for scorecard |
| BUSINESS AS USUAL: Tiger rid himself of all the drama surrounding his return to the PGA TOUR and went back to basics, to the simple act that got him 65 TOUR titles and 14 majors. Click for McAllister column |
| AVOIDING THE UPSET: Two other top seeds were upset in the first round, but not Tiger. Click for Ross column |
| FANS FOLLOW TIGER: Golf fans from near and far showed up in Marana to witness Tiger's return to competitive golf. Click here for story |
| TRANSCRIPTS: Check out what Tiger said after his victory. Click here |
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| Pre-tournament coverage |
| NEW SHOTS FOR A NEW COURSE: There's ready and there's tournament ready and not even Tiger will know exactly where his game is until he hits that first tee shot. Click here for Wacker column |
| READY TO SHINE: While everyone is delighted by Tiger's return, because let's face it, golf just hasn't been as exciting without him, there's no one more enthused than Tiger himself. Click here for Auclair column |
| PRACTICE REPORT: Check out every move that Tiger made during his first practice round at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Course, Dove Mountain. Click here for report |
| TRANSCRIPT: Check out what Tiger said on the eve of his first round back on the PGA TOUR. Click here |
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TIGER DISCUSSES RETURN: In his first comments since announcing his return to the PGA TOUR, Tiger Woods said that the thing he missed most was the competition.
Of course, that should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the career of Tiger Woods. He's not someone who is content to sit on the sidelines, as he was forced to do after undergoing reconstructive surgery on the ACL in his left knee last June.
"I just had to find competition in different ways," Woods said Friday during a national conference call. "So what I did, I focused on my rehab. I had my own personal competition each and every day to get better.
Tiger discussed various other issues surrounding his return, such as his future schedule and which sponsor's logo will be on his bag. For the rest of the report on Tiger's comments, click here.
To read the full transcript of the question-and-answer session with Tiger, click here.
TIGER TO RETURN AT ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY: The speculation is over. Tiger Woods finally has set the date -- he will return to the PGA TOUR next week to play the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz., just outside Tucson.
"I'm now ready to play again," Woods said in making the announcement on his Web site, tigerwoods.com.
The five-day tournament, which begins Wednesday, Feb. 25, will be Tiger's first tournament since winning the U.S. Open last June at Torrey Pines. It will be 254 days in between the time Tiger won the U.S. Open in a Monday playoff over Rocco Mediate and the time he strikes his first tee shot Wednesday.
"We received confirmation today that Tiger Woods has committed to play in next week's Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Ariz." PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said Thursday afternoon. "We are delighted that Tiger is returning to competition and look forward to watching him compete next week."
Woods had season-ending surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee eight days after winning his 14th major championship. Woods also had stress fractures in his left tibia.
Since then, the primary variable in his return to competiton appeared to be the arrival of his second child. Woods' wife Elin gave birth to Charlie Axel on Feb. 8.
"Elin and our new son Charlie are doing great," Woods said on his Web site. "I've enjoyed my time at home with the family and appreciate everyone's support and kind wishes."
Woods' fellow pros were glad to hear that the world's top player was returning to the TOUR.
"With the economy as crappy as it is and all you hear is bad news, bad news, it's nice to finally get some good news," said Kenny Perry, who won three times last year, with two of those wins coming during Tiger's absence. " He'll bring a lot of excitement to our TOUR. He carries our TOUR and I'm glad to have him back. He's a good friend. I just think the world of him."
"Good. It's about time. I'm glad he's coming back. Good for him. We need him. Period. Our TOUR is cool, but it's really, really cool with him," U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate said. "It's just a notch above. No disrespect. You can say what you want, but it's the truth. I've always believed that about him. He makes it what it is. We have, like I said, great players, Phillip, and everybody, they're all fine. But without him, it's not the same."
To read the full story on Tiger's' return to the PGA TOUR, click here.
WRITERS' ROUNDTABLE: So how will Tiger fare in his first tournament back in eight months? We asked several of our PGATOUR.COM writers to weigh in with their opinions. One writer thinks he'll win; another writer thinks Tiger is making a big mistake.
To check out their opinions and the reasons behind it, click here.
WHAT DID TIGER MISS?: Here are the five biggest developments on the PGA TOUR that happened during Tiger's absence from competitive golf. Click here
| Tiger's return coverage on PGATOUR.COM |
| PRE-COMPETITION |
| PGATOUR.COM will be on the scene with multiple reporters to capture every aspect of Tiger's return to the TOUR. Our coverage plans include: |
| • Live blogging of Tiger's practice rounds (online exclusive) |
• Live audio streaming on Sirius XM of his daily matches (online exclusive) |
| • Video highlights of Tiger's practice rounds (online exclusive) |
• Live blogging from inside the ropes during matches (online exclusive) |
| • Live press conference video (online exclusive) |
• Live scoring from his matches (online exclusive) |
| • Video and Editorial Highlights packages of his past wins (online exclusive) |
• Highlights from his matches and interviews (online exclusive)
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| • Additional interviews as available with Tiger, other players and notables |
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| Updates on Tiger's health |
| 2009 |
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| Tiger sightings |
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| We haven't seen Tiger Woods in competitive action on the PGA TOUR since Torrey Pines in June, but that hasn't meant he's been a recluse since his knee surgery. Here are just a few ways he's kept himself busy during his down time: |
| • Tiger was seen on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. He squared off with Kimmel's security guard, Guillermo, in Tiger's PGA TOUR 09 video game at the "Gillette-EA SPORTS Champions of Gaming" event at the University of Central Florida. The video, which featured plenty of trash talking from Woods, was broadcast on the Feb. 10 broadcast. |
| • Tiger was one of the celebrity athletes participating in the "Gillette-EA SPORTS Champions of Gaming" event at the University of Central Florida on Feb. 3. Tiger faced off against 52-year-old Australian gamer Steven Ward on one hole of Tiger's PGA TOUR 09 video game, with each player posting a birdie. |
| • Tiger was in the stands on Jan. 29 to watch his hometown Orlando Magic defeat LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-88. |
| • Tiger watched the Magic lose to the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics, 90-80, on Jan. 22. |
| • Tiger was one of the featured speakers Jan. 18 at President Barack Obama's "We Are One" inaugural celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. Tiger focused his speech on the military. |
| • Tiger went to Tampa to watch the Buccaneers lose to the Oakland Raiders, 31-24, on Dec. 28. |
| • Tiger was in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in mid-December for the Chevron World Challenge. On Dec. 21, he congratulated winner Vijay Singh and handed him the tournament trophy. |
| • On Nov. 3, Tiger watched his hometown Magic beat the Chicago Bulls, 96-93. |
| • Tiger returned to Torrey Pines on Oct. 20 to caddie for "Tee Off with Tiger" sweepstakes winner John Abel. "It was a fun day for me," Tiger said. |
| • Wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers cap, Tiger was in the stands at Dodger Stadium for Game 3 of the Dodgers-Phillies National League Championship Series game on Oct. 12. "I've been a Dodgers fan my entire life," Tiger said. |
| • Tiger hung out with musician Seal and noted chef Mario Batali, among other celebrities, at the Tiger Woods Learning Center's Block Party on Oct. 11 in Anaheim, Calif. |
| • Tiger announced his oceanfront golf course project, Punta Brava golf course in Ensenada, Mexico, at a press conference in Los Angeles on Oct. 7. |
| • Tiger watched the Buccaneers defeat the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 28. But he wasn't wearing a Bucs cap. |
| • Tiger was in New York City in late August to promote the release of his Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 video game (Michael Phelps was in attendance at the unveiling party). While in New York, he also attended a Yankees-Red Sox game on Aug. 26. He had a front-row seat. |
| • Tiger was in Dubai on Aug. 25 at the press conference for a planned $1.09 billion golf project in Dubai. It was his first visit to the construction site since his knee surgery. "We want this golf course to play fast, quick," he said. |
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| Features on Tiger |
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TIGER'S NEW BABY. On Feb. 9, Tiger announced that his wife, Elin, had given birth to a boy, Charlie Axel Woods. It is the couple's second child. Click here for more | Baby photos | What does the name mean? |
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TOP 100 PLAYERS TO WATCH. In our list of the Top 100 Players to Watch in 2009, Tiger Woods made his way to the top of the list. Click here for more |
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HAIL TO THE CHIEF. Tiger Woods' participation in the build up to President Obama's inauguation was remarkable, writes John Maginnes. Click here for more | Transcript |
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2008 PHOTO GALLERY. Tiger's 2008 PGA TOUR campaign may not have been very long, but it sure was spectacular. Click here for more |
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PLAYER PAGE. Want more Tiger? On his player page, you can browse his results through the years, more stories, more photos and more videos. Click here for player page |
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| Tiger's film room |
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EYE OF THE TIGER. Tiger Woods gets pumped up Rocky-style by whistling a familiar tune.
Click here to watch |
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FEEL THE DRAMA. Get a glimpse and feel the drama of the new Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10 from EA Sports. Click here to watch |
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WALKING ON WATER. Can Tiger Woods really walk on water? Well, he does here. See for yourself! Click here to watch |
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A WORD FROM THE KING. Arnold Palmer takes a moment to speculate Tiger's return and a possible new career for Tiger. Click here to watch |
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VOICE OF EXPERIENCE. Ernie Els has had the same surgery that Tiger had. Here, Els discusses the road Woods will face when he comes back. Click here to watch |
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SWINGPLEX. How much Tiger's swing will change after he returns is anyone's guess, but here's a slow-motion look at the last known version. Click here to watch |
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BRIEF, BUT REMARKABLE. It's more than unlikely that we'll ever again see a season quite like the one Tiger Woods pulled off in 2008. Click here to watch |
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WHAT A MOMENT. Tiger's epic battle with Rocco Mediate in that Monday playoff at the U.S. Open was our favorite memory from the 2008 season. Click here to watch |
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DON'T FORGET THIS. The remarkable U.S. Open victory wasn't Tiger's only jaw-dropping performance in 2008. Remember that unbelievable 18th at Bay Hill? Click here to watch |
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