Tiger's Return Noticed by Players at Hero World Challenge


After playing and walking 18 holes for the first time since the PGA Championship in August, Tiger Woods carded three birdies and a bogey at the Hero World Challenge pro-am on Wednesday. The 18-man, $3.5 million event, which benefits his Tiger Woods Foundation, starts Thursday at Isleworth in Windermere, Fla.

Woods has not played for four months while recovering from and rehabilitating his surgically repaired back, an injury that led to a 2014 with many fits and starts and him dropping from first to 24th in the World Golf Ranking.

Woods, who turns 39 on December 30, has been working on swing changes that have been helped by a new swing coach, Chris Como, and viewings of old VHS tapes showing his moves during his successful amateur days.

"Actually, it's pretty interesting trying to find a VHS recorder," he quipped to reporters Tuesday. "I have a lot of tape like that. Fortunately, my mom is of age where she has that still in the house. So that was very beneficial to look at some of the old tapes."

Woods was excited following his pro-am round. "I'm starting to get my power back - starting to get my speed back. That has been nice," he said.

Wednesday's round was the first time since the PGA at Valhalla - where he missed the 36-hole cut - when he actually walked an entire 18 holes. "I built up my body, made a few adjustments on my swing and hit some good shots," Woods said.

His good friend, Steve Stricker, was impressed with how Woods played during his first full round. "He's one of the best ever and coming back with a lot of anticipation," the 47-year-old Tour veteran said. "It looks like he's swinging at it pretty good. It looks similar to the early 2000s to me.

"It looked a lot freer," Stricker noted of Woods' revamped swing. "Didn't look like he was getting in his way. It looked like it was on a better path. I'm sure he's going to have some issues going forward. It will be fun to watch it play out and see how he handles it going forward."

Stricker added that Woods - despite his advancing age and injuries that have forced him to take five breaks ranging from four weeks to four months over the past five years - is still one of the game's toughest competitors. "As far as players writing him off, I don't think so," Stricker said.

"We all know what amazing things he has done over the course of 20 years. We know it's in there. If he starts swinging it better and starts feeling good about what he's doing again, it won't take long for him to be at the top of the game again."

Zach Johnson, who beat Woods in a playoff at last year's Challenge when it was held at Sherwood Country Club in California, was pleased the five-time winner of the event is back on the golf course this week. "(The swing) looked great to me," Johnson said. "I'm glad he's playing."

The 2013 Challenge was the last time Woods finished in the top-10 of a tournament. "That's strange," Johnson said of that anomaly for someone with 79 PGA Tour titles, second all-time to Sam Snead's 82. "You're talking about the best player I've ever witnessed. It's really, really strange. I'd be interested to see what he does this week."

Jordan Spieth is one of the 18 players in the Hero World Challenge field at Isleworth. The 21-year-old from Dallas, winner of last week's Australian Open, wouldn't be surprised if Woods soon returns to his winning ways.

"If he's 100 percent healthy, I don't have any doubt he will get back to winning major championships," said Spieth. "I look forward to be the one trying to stop him."