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SPORTS A19
Friday 5 January 2018
Tiger plans to play Torrey Pines, Riviera on West Coast
By DOUG FERGUSON the year until he returned In this Jan. 27, 2017, file photo, Tiger Woods reacts after hitting out of the rough on the ninth hole
AP Golf Writer at the Hero World Chal- of the North Course during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Ti- lenge in the Bahamas and Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.
ger Woods is playing twice tied for ninth, 10 shots out
in California over the next of the lead. Associated Press
six week as he begins an- Different about this return
other comeback on the was that Woods was hit-
PGA Tour from back sur- ting with power, at times
gery. hitting it past Justin Thomas
Woods announced Thurs- and Henrik Stenson, and
day he will play the Farm- he played several practice
ers Insurance Open on rounds before the Baha-
Jan. 25 at Torrey Pines, the mas with Thomas, Rickie
San Diego course where Fowler, Daniel Berger and
he has won eight times. Dustin Johnson.
That includes the 2008 U.S. All of them remarked that
Open, his 14th and most he looked much fitter,
recent major. healthier and happier.
He also says he will play the The PGA Tour figures to get
Genesis Open at Riviera in an even bigger boost.
Los Angeles that starts Feb. “I think Tiger’s return and
15. Riviera is where Woods the excitement based on
played his first PGA Tour how he looked ... based
event as a 16-year-old am- on what it does for ratings,
ateur. what it does for a non-
He last played in 2006, golfer’s interest in golf, it’s
though it now is back in got to be at the forefront
play because the Tiger of the excitement,” Jordan
Woods Foundation runs Spieth said.
the tournament. “With Tiger, we just don’t
“I’m very excited to be exactly know what it’s go-
back at Riviera,” Woods ing to bring. But I think be-
said. cause of the way that the
“To be able to play in an Hero went and the con-
event that I used to come fidence that he’s talking
to as an amateur, as a ju- with, the place that he’s at
nior and now as the tour- in life right now, I think he’s
nament host, that is on one in the best position he’s
of the most historic sites been in in a few years to
in all of golf, it’s a dream come back and be a reg-
come true.” ular out here competing.”
The schedule is similar to Woods did not mention
the one last year when any other events he might
Woods was returning from play. He is No. 656 in the
back surgery. It just didn’t world ranking and not eligi-
last long. He played in the ble for the two World Golf
Bahamas against an 18- Championships in March,
man field with no cut, said key tournaments leading
he was feeling good about into the Masters.
his health and his game, He has not played all four
and then resumed a PGA majors since 2015 — he
Tour schedule at Torrey missed the cut in three of
Pines. But he missed the 36- them — because of his
hole cut for the first time in back injuries.
San Diego, flew to Dubai He has not made the cut in
and withdrew after open- all four majors since 2013.
ing with a 77 because of Woods has 79 career vic-
back spasms. tories on the PGA Tour, the
Two months later, Woods most recent at the Bridge-
had fusion surgery on his stone Invitational in 2013.
lower back — his fourth He needs four more to
back surgery in three years break the record held by
— and was out the rest of Sam Snead.q
