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“Tiger Tells All”

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It may be a star studded field that tees off Thursday morning at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open.

But all eyes will be focused on Tiger Woods and his group, that tees off at (10:40am), just after Rory McIlroy makes his debut on the rugged South Course.

The storyline will be can Tiger pick up where he left off last year, the late season win in the Players Championship and the top fine finishes to the end of the season.

But the story will also involve what he accomplished, not his 80th career win to go with his 14-Grand Slam wins.

No, it’s not about a career and life lost to bad injuries and bad lifestyle decisions. It’s no longer about the betrayal so many people felt, from fans, media to his sponsors.

But now about surviving four back surgeries, the enormous demands of rehab, the re-learning about his body, the understanding of what his regimen should entail, and a refocus of his intense approach to golf, the competitors, and the end results.

PGA veterans may have put their arms around him as he fought the long lonely rehab battle. Maybe they didn’t because of who he was before. But there should be unanimous respect inside the lines for where he is now, what he’s come back from, after what he had accomplished prior.

On to Thursday we go with the 7-time winner at Torrey Pines ready to play, and you sense ready to win, as he told us in the press briefing.

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..Great be back-not played on Tour since December
..Have always loved this Golf Course.
..Was 1st PGA tourney I ever attended

..Opening day-never played with Xander Schauffelle before

..Different this year than last…know what I can and cannot do…last year very fluid…it was a moving target year….I have great understanding what I can and cannot do…Not the uncertainty this time a year ago….What I did end of last year-body held up better than I thought it would…

..Listen to my body now…going thru what I went thru last few years-would not wish it on anybody…couldn’t sit-stand-walk….the surgery was last ditch effort to return to quality of life…..What I worked thru the last couple of years…that’s why I am so diligent now in preparation….Now I don’t practice as much-give my body rest……hard to shut it down because most of my career has been spent getting better by working at it every day.

..Training differently now…I can’t do type of cardio I used to do…..I’ve been geared back to playing golf first….then do things I want to do…not as strong-fast-explosive as I used to be…but now I can do things.

..This year I am ready to play big events-not have uncertainty of last year ‘could I even get to Florida’…now I know I can….I am way ahead of a year ago….hope to play well in big events…maybe 15-to-17 events this year.

..Ever get chance to soak up wins….last year ‘no’…won Tour Championship…had to go immediately to Ryder Cup….but rewarding once I got to offseason.

..Gratified and touching to know people now recognize what I went thru and reception was great….people knew

..Did enormous weight room work for strength…went diving in off season-amazing to be able to do that knowing what my back was like prior to surgeries….I missed being in the water. my discs were so badly damaged.

..2019-fresh start yes…but have understanding of what I can do now…a year ago I had no idea of what I would be like every day…what great uncertainty…..recovering one day from the day before….Now I know my body…know how to finish….know how I should feel the next day.

..As President’s Cup member…Lots to think about going thru the year with my schedule..

..Phil Mickelson not here for first time in 28-years…it’s unfortunate-he has busy schedule ….Going to be a lot of adjustments when to play not to play with the new look schedule…

..Limited practice with new body….need to get to the flow of the round quickly…off season for me is trying to get stronger….last year I got tired at end of year…legs gave out…

..Win Player Championship…thinking about winning…..I did after what I did finishing 2nd in a tourney-knew I was ready to win….Late summer-game was close-knew I was ready to win…needed to have 4-consistent days in a row….Changed putter mid year and ball started to going into the hole….

..I knew I was back physically towards end of season when I started making critical shots, drops, placements, backspins…..It came after I was grinding all year long then the stats started to come to me….

..Rush-commotion of making shots-starting to win…brought very different energy….crowd very loud-very special to win at Players Championship.

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