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SPORTS Wednesday 8 august 2018
Tiger Woods takes ice bath, prepares for final major of year

By DOUG FERGUSON ly, especially coming off his the British Open. He still has
AP Golf Writer fourth back surgery. only one victory this year
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tiger "There's going to be cer- and feels as though he
Woods at times looks simi- tain days that I'm just not should have won more.
lar to the guy who won the going to have the speed "In golf, you just have to be
PGA Championship four and the flexibility and the an eternal optimist," McIlroy
times among his 14 major movement that I once did," said. "You have to make
titles, except for the results. Woods said. "I'm 42 now, the most of everything you
And except for the way he and I've had four back sur- have to see the positives,
began the week of the final geries. So things are going and just move on and for-
major of the year. to be different from day get about. And that's what
He took an ice bath. to day, and it's just about I've tried to do this year."
"Just trying to get some in- managing it. Before, I didn't The rain interrupted a lot of
flammation down, and just really have any of those schedules.
trying to get ready for the issues early in my career The forecast is reasonable
rest of the week," Woods because I didn't have a for the rest of the week, at
said Tuesday, saying only fixed point in my back. My least until Saturday, leav-
that the inflammation was knee used to hurt a lot, but I ing players just one more
"everywhere," without elab- could play around that." day to study Bellerive, with
orating what caused it. Woods last played in the its tree-lined fairways and
"And a lot of stretching. Did PGA Championship at large green complexes.
a light lift yesterday and Whistling Straits in 2015, Players typically take the
was ready to go for today." when he missed the cut final day of practice to get
Little good that did him. in the PGA for the second in nine holes, or maybe do
Rain pounded Bellerive straight year. light work on their games.
Country Club, twice sus- Woods has never been Woods no longer has that Tiger Woods hits from the first fairway during a practice round for
pending practice rounds. much for moral victo- luxury. Time is running out, the PGA Championship golf tournament Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018,
Woods played only five ries, though he has said as it relates to preparing at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis.
holes on the course he last throughout the year he for the PGA Championship, Associated Press
saw the day after the Sept. considers himself "blessed" and for a season that is be- "Just the fact that I'm play- and behold, here I am. So
11 terrorist attacks, a few simply to be playing. There ing measured differently. ing the tour again, just for just coming back and be-
hours before the American have been enough mo- He once said it couldn't be me to be able to have ing able to play at this level
Express Championship was ments this year, however — a great year without win- this opportunity again, it's and compete ... I've had
canceled. Carnoustie would be one ning a major. Winning tour- a dream come true," he my share of chances to
He returns nearly as much of them — that it wouldn't naments still could make a said. "I said this many times win this year, as well, and
of a mystery as when the be a surprise if he contend- good year. this year, I didn't know if I hopefully I'll get it done this
year started. ed at Bellerive. Now? could do this again, and lo week."q
Just over two weeks ago, "He's got all the compo-
Woods had full control of nents of the game," Rory
his shots and moved into McIlroy said. "He's learned
the lead during the middle how to make a swing work
of the final round at the Brit- for him again. He's learn-
ish Open. He was feeling so ing to compete again. He's
good about his game that learning what you have to
he took an all-or-nothing do on the back nine of a
shot out of a pot bunker major on Sunday. All those
on the 10th hole that he things, he's been through.
thought might be a decid- He's building up all that ...
ing moment, and he pulled I don't want to say experi-
it off. And then he missed ence, but even though he's
the birdie putt, made a won 14 of these things, if
double bogey on the next you haven't done it for a
hole and faded away. while, you still have to re-
Still, it built even more hype learn a few things."
about his chances head- Woods and McIlroy have
ing into the PGA Champi- won the same number of
onship — until he shot 73-73 majors over the last four
on the weekend at Fires- years — none.
tone, a course that he has McIlroy has made prog-
dominated as much as any ress in his own right, having
other. gone some 18 months with-
It's been like that all year. out a victory as he coped
He was one shot out of the with a rib injury until he
lead on the back nine at pulled away from Woods
consecutive tournaments and the rest of the field to
in Florida, and then was win the Arnold Palmer Invi-
never a factor at the Mas- tational.
ters. He missed the cut in McIlroy since then has
the U.S. Open, and then played in the final group
had a chance to win the three times, including at
British Open. the Masters. He was in con-
His health has held up nice- tention on the back nine at