YES Virginia, there is a Tiger Woods.

Showing just how close Australian Senior Golfer is with the Tiger Woods camp, our report yesterday suggesting the World No 1 wouldn’t be showing up for the 2010 JBWere Masters in Melbourne turns out to be entirely erroneous.

Media announcements yesterday about tickets going on sale from today seemed to studiously avoid mentioning the man.

We were even worried how the poor scalpers – warned off by the Victorian Government and threatened with big fines – were going to make a buck in the let down over a Tigerless event.

Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas were touted just 24 hours ago to be the big international stars joining headline Australian act Geoff Ogilvy.

Surprise, surprise, as tickets go on sale today it is announced Woods will return to Melbourne to defend his title.

I think that is called media management. And we fell for it. (Must be getting old).

But to set the record straight – and to steal a line from a new very annoying television commercial – that’s not good news. It’s GREAT.

As the organisers of the event say in their release today, the Tiger Woods led JBWere Masters event last year set a new benchmark for Australian golf with record crowds and television audiences and delivered in excess of $34 million to the Victorian economy.

Everyone I spoke to who managed to attend the event last year were stoked. No complaints about overcrowding or overstretched facilities.

The only complaints were from Channel Nine viewers who, as Woods hit off on the Thursday morning were greeted with the Kerri-Anne Kennerley’s morning show. Even Kerri-Anne would have rather been watching the golf.

Let’s hope they get that right for the sake of all the television viewers this time. And I know there are lots of messy local broadcasting provisions involved.

On his forthcoming trip to Australia, Tiger Woods commented: “I am pleased to be able to return to Melbourne to defend the JBWere Masters.  The Australian galleries made last year’s event a great experience for all the players and I look forward to playing at The Victoria Golf Club in November.”

The 2010 JBWere Masters will again be broadcast on Channel Nine and FOX SPORTS (at least in part) and will be played at The Victoria Golf Club from 11 – 14 November. Tickets from Ticketek.

WELL here it is, US Masters week and once again it should be a beauty.

We have six Australians, the now 50 year old Fred Couples in great form and rated a serious chance and Tiger Woods finally able to sit in front of an unrestricted media conference and empathically declare: “Nothing’s changed, going to go out there and try to win this thing.”

Australia’s contingent includes Robert Allenby, Nathan Green, Marc Leishman, Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott and John Senden.

Unfortunately, Michael Sim has been a late withdrawal from what would have been his first Masters because of a shoulder injury.

As we reported elsewhere, the rejuvenated Freddie Couples has won the past three Champions Tour events and after four tournaments is an amazing 77 under par.

But 18 years after winning at Augusta can he do it again?

At least, he may do what Australia’s 53 year old Greg Norman did at the British Open in 2008 and then Tom Watson repeated (oh so agonisingly) the following year – threaten to be the first over 50 year old to win a Major – and in doing so to give a further boost to all the older golfers around the planet.

The oldest major winner record currently stands with Julius Boros, who won the 1968 US PGA aged 48.

Jack Nicklaus is the oldest Masters winner, taking the 1986 green jacket at the age of 46.

Legendary coach Butch Harmon says Couples is hitting the ball longer and is brimming with confidence.

“The way he is playing right now, the way he is hitting the driver and putting the ball, I wouldn’t be surprised if he contended at Augusta National,” Harmon said last week.

But of course, this week more than ever is going to be the Tiger Woods show.

Woods appeared surprisingly relaxed and confident at his first full media conference since “the troubles” and spoke of his eagerness to be back on the first tee.

You can read a full transcript of the interview here, or watch the YouTube video below.

(Photo shows Fred Couples teeing off during a practice round this week at Augusta – a good photo to get you prepared for all the dappled foliage images you’ll be seeing relentlessly on your tv screen beginning Friday morning.)

TIGER WOODS has given two five minute television interviews in which he says he is excited to be back playing golf but is “a little nervous” about the reception he will receive from fans at the US Masters.

“I’m starting to get my feel back. I know how to play the golf course and that helps a lot, I just got to, play it,” he said of Augusta National on the Golf Channel.

To ESPN interviewer Tom Rinaldi he said: “I’m excited to get to see the guys again. I really miss a lot of my friends out there. I miss competing. But still, I still have a lot more treatment to do, and just because I’m playing, doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop going to treatment.”

Woods said he didn’t know what reception he would get from fans.

“I’m a little nervous about that to be honest with you,” he said.

“It would be nice to hear a couple claps here and there. But also hope they clap for birdies, too.”

The ESPN video is embedded below. You can see the Golf Channel interview here.

THE Siren call of the US Masters was always going to be a tough ask for Tiger Woods to resist and the World’s No 1 golfer has officially confirmed the event will mark his return to competitive golf.

Woods announced overnight on his website he would begin his 2010 season at the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in April.

“The Masters is where I won my first major, and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I’m ready to start my season at Augusta,” Woods said.

“The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it’s been awhile since I last played.”

Woods has not played in a tournament since winning the Australian Masters on November 15. Less than two weeks after that event he was involved in a car crash at his home that touched off a global scandal involving his private life and claims of adultery.

“I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment,” Woods said. “Although I’m returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.”

In recent weeks, Woods was seen with coach Hank Haney working on his game and by fellow PGA players in practice sessions.

It has also been reported he seems to be back on good terms with wife Elin.

Woods decided against playing in a lead up event as he works to tune up for the Masters, which begins on April 8.

He has won the event four times, including his first Majors win in 1997. He now has 14 major titles, four shy of the record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus.

“When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play,” Woods said in his statement.

“I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. “I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments, and I look forward to competing in them again.

“I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game.”

WE’VE stated before that our interest in Tiger Woods is as a golfer; we’ll leave all the personal morality judgements and critiques of the authenticity or otherwise of his highly publicised public apology to others.

What we are interested  in is when he plans to return to competitive golf.

Our two recent stories on that subject, firstly on talk that he might return for the WGC - Accenture Matchplay and secondly that we would know more after his public appearance on Saturday morning, proved to be hugely inaccurate.

So with the dust having settled on his televised apology and anyone and everyone having had their say on it, including most curiously the Dalai Lama, we’ll stick our neck out one more time.

But only so far as to postulate that although his speech was so obviously well planned and scripted (as it probably needed to be), he quite honestly doesn’t have a clue when he will be back.

Those that claim to know him well, or at least to know how he operates well, don’t think it will be this year.

This includes his (former) coach of ten years Butch Harmon and “confidant” Ian Baker-Finch.

“Mentally, obviously he’s hurting - and it’s going to be a long road back for him.” Harmon said this week.
“I don’t think any of us should expect to see him on a golf course any time soon because emotionally I don’t think he’ll be there. I personally do not think he will play this year.”

Baker-Finch, who first met Woods as a 15 year old, expressed a similar view: “I was hoping he’d be back for the Masters, but I read into (his statement) that his comeback’s not going to be any time soon.”

“My gut feeling is he doesn’t come back until he’s 100 per cent better, focused on golf and ready to win, and I don’t think it will be for the Majors. I can’t see any reason to come back (this year) if not for the Majors.”

What Woods actually said on the subject of his return is the following:

“I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game.”

Repeated there in black and white it couldn’t be more straightforward. Woods was going back into therapy the next day. How long the process takes? Who knows.

The last word should go to the Dalai Lama, who was asked about the Woods case on the tenuous basis that he is a fellow Buddhist.

To paraphrase the great Tibetan spiritual leader: “Who’s Tiger Woods?”

Whoever he is, golf will just have to do without him for the foreseeable future.

TIGER WOODS’ golfing future should become a lot clearer Saturday morning (Australian time) with the announcement of a public appearance before “a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates”.

A statement posted on his website says Tiger plans “to discuss his past and his future, and he plans to apologize for his behavior.”

“While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between him and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him. He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends, and that’s what he’s going to discuss,” it says.

Whilst the appearance, at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, at 11 am Friday (US EST) (3am Aus EDT) will be televised, no questions will be allowed.

His short website announcement, with the unfortunately imperious sounding headline “Tiger to give remarks Friday” ends with implicit information that it will not be a media conference in the usual sense. “His remarks will be open to a press pool for live coverage. It is NOT a news conference,” it says.

The announcement came at the same time as pictures were snapped of Woods training near his Florida home – so make of that what you will.

It was also released during the first round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship – a tournament that many believed would mark Woods return to professional golf.

But Woods was always going to have to front up in some sort of public appearance and come clean before he ever teed off in a golf tournament again.  

WE decided early on last year that we wouldn’t get involved in the whole Tiger Woods marital infidelity saga.

That’s why we haven’t published a word about it since the whole controversy began.

What we are pretty well exclusively interested in talking about here is golf, and delving into salacious details about private lives isn’t really part of that picture.

Of course, if you are doing a profile on a golfer, or you’re a fan of a golfer, or maybe just interested in how a particular golfer is performing and developing, you are interested in the whole person.

It is not just a machine attached to the end of a golf club.

Maybe we are disappointed in Woods’ infidelities, like we were disappointed, for instance, in hearing some of the incidents that have graced John Daly’s career, but there is a line there we do not want to cross.

Like we said, we want to concentrate on the golf, not a “tabloid” view of the industry.

Two new developments have spurred us to start writing about Tiger Woods again.

Throughout the whole sex addiction saga and his self imposed exile, I was always of the view that Woods would be back at least by the US Masters, held in the second week of April.

But making the Masters his first comeback appearance you would think would not be highly advisable.

Now there are suggestions Woods could be back to competitive golf in a fortnight – at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championships in Arizona.

The “whispers” are apparently backed by some inside knowledge and the suitability of this event for his return.

While we have no way of knowing the veracity of these reports, at least the thinking is creditable (and we don’t want to sound like one of those gossip magazines).

The stories go that Accenture Match Play is a favourite event for Woods, that the Dove Mountain course was where he made his comeback from knee surgery last year, and that the match play format would lessen his chances of being harassed.

Also, because it is match play if he puts in a bad performance he’s out and doesn’t have to stay in the spotlight as he would at a regular tour event.

Maybe not, but if not the Accenture there should be some movement shortly. Woods’ eye is still on those historic Major victories

Tom Watson comments

The other development involved some recent comments by golfing elder statesman Tom Watson.

Most would agree with Watson’s suggestion – as many others have repeated – that Woods needs to go public in an interview and apologise (You’d think Oprah W would be an ideal option). I’ll repeat those comments in a moment.

But perhaps more interesting were Watson’s thoughts that Woods, when he does return to competitive golf, needs to work on being a “better ambassador” for the game.

“I feel that he has not carried the same stature as the other great players that have come along like Jack (Nicklaus), Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan in the sense that there was (bad) language and club throwing on the golf course,” Watson said.

“You can grant that to somebody, a young person, that has not been out there for a while, but I think he needs to clean up his act there and show the respect for the game that the people before him have shown.”

I’m a little undecided on this. Are Woods’ occasional displays of anger/frustration out of line? Is he allowed to display some human emotions, or should he display an unflappable, inscrutable exterior?

Remaining equanimous whatever happens on the golf course is the ideal, but is it the reality?

Watson’s other comments were easier to support.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how he handles his return to public life,” Watson said.

“He messed up. He knows he messed up. The world knows he messed up. And he has to take ownership of that.

“He must get his personal life in order. I think that is what he is trying to do.

“And when he comes back he has to show some humility to the public in the sense that if I were him, it wouldn’t be at a golf tournament where I come out in public first.

“I would come out and I would do an interview with somebody and say, you know what, I screwed up. And I admit it. And I am going to change. I am trying to change.

“I want my wife and family back - I have to earn her trust back.”

TIGER WOODS has claimed the winner’s gold jacket at the Australian Masters and while it may not mean as much to him as a green one, the world number one seemed to enjoy his sojourn Down Under.

The $270,000 first prize cheque should be enough to cover the petrol money for his private jet home, with enough left over for plenty of nibbles for the friends and family accompanying him.

As Woods said after accepting the cheque, his mum has spent about that much on furry kangaroos and other souvenirs whilst in Australia.

Of course there is also the matter of the $3.3 million paid to him by the Victorian Government and others to tackle his first Australian tournament in 11 years.

Woods was gracious in victory and left the door open to being back sooner or later – that should at least be for the 2011 Presidents Cup in Melbourne – but no doubt there are already minds whirring away in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on means of making that happen next year.

Woods struggled to make par on Saturday but there was no sign of that when he stepped up to the plate on Sunday before a crowd of 25,132 wearing the now famous red and black final day uniform.

He seemed to immediately ease into overdrive and even Aussie playing partner Cameron Percy was applauding some of the approach shots.

Woods fired a final round four under 68, finishing on 14 under for the tournament, two shots ahead of overnight co-leader West Australian Greg Chalmers (70) who finished in outright second place. 

Frenchman Francois Delamontagne (69) and American Jason Dufner (70) finished a further shot back and tied for third while overnight leader James Nitties shot a final round 73 to finish outright fifth.

Percy (72) finished equal sixth on eight under par alongside fellow Australian Adam Scott whose final round 69 matched his Saturday score. Stuart Appleby (71) finished a solid tournament a further shot back in eighth place whole Victorian Craig Scott (69) continued a run of impressive form tying for ninth place alongside Swede Klas Eriksson and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares (68).
But it was the 14 time Major Champion who once again stole the limelight, delighting the fascinated Australian crowd with his seventh win of the year and his 93rd career victory. After his round Woods said he had achieved all that he had travelled Down Under to do.
“I got a ‘W, that was the goal this week,” he said.

Complimentary of the Kingston Heath layout, Woods gave it the thumbs up.

“It was a great day today. All the guys have raved about this golf course and I understand why. I enjoy all the sandbelt courses, really, because it brings back shot-making, something that we don’t see enough of in the States.”

Woods began his round with a birdie, quickly evaporating any hangovers from yesterday’s frustrating round of 72. He clicked into gear with birdies at the fifth and sixth making the turn in 33 and picking up another shot at 12 when he smashed a fairway wood from 268 metres to within four metres of the flag, setting up another birdie for a three-shot break on his rivals.

It was when he holed a three-metre birdie putt at the 142-metre par-three 15th that Woods effectively shut out the field but he credited his chasing pack for pushing him all the way.

“James (Nitties) and Greg (Chalmers) back there were playing well, and obviously Cameron (Percy) today could have got off to a quick start. So it was one of those things where you had to make some birdies early, and I was able to do that and I kept it going for most of the day.”

Chalmers, the 1998 Australian Open Champion and current USPGA Tour player, managed some early birdies to keep in contention but near misses for birdie at 14 and 16 proved costly. Despite his runner up finish the West Australian was pleased with his performance and the atmosphere that the tournament had provided for the players all week.

“Even though I finished second, I’m thrilled he was here, I wish he would come every couple of years,” said Chalmers.

“It’s been a pretty fantastic week with the crowd and the atmosphere we had as golfers, it was like a football crowd brought to the golf.”

“That was special, very exciting and it made you play better - it certainly did for me, anyway.”

Adelaide’s Adam Bland’s 67 was the best of Sunday’s rounds while two former Masters champions, Craig Spence, the 1999 winner and Aaron Baddeley (2007) both matched Woods’ 68.

Defending titleholder Rod Pampling fired a final-round 73 to finish equal-14th at minus-four overall.

Victorian Alistair Presnell finished on five under for the tournament in a tie for 12th place and continues to hold the number one position on the Australasian Tour Order of Merit. 

With five events remaining on the 2009 Schedule in the race for the Norman Von Nida Order of Merit Medal, Presnell, winner of the 2009 Moonah Classic is on top with $223, 212, just over $29,000 ahead of second placed Michael Sim ($204, 087) with Steve Alker third ($181, 058) and Greg Chalmers fourth ($153, 000).

For live Australian Masters scoring updates click on the link below

Australian Masters Live Leaderboard

AUSSIES Greg Chalmers and James Nitties share the overnight lead with world number one Tiger Woods all on 10 under going into the final day of the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath.

Two strokes further back the suddenly high profile Cameron Percy will boost that spotlight considerably when he lines up as Woods Sunday playing partner.

Woods was hot and cold all day and later said he had to “turn it around” just to salvage a par 72, highlighting the fact that the comparatively “short” Kingston Heath course does has its defences.

Perfect conditions are forecast for the final day with free to air television coverage on Channel Nine scheduled to begin at 12.30

Round 2

WORLD number one Tiger Woods has his maiden Australian title firmly in his sights after establishing a three shot lead over the rest of the field at the half way mark of the 2009 JBWere Masters at Kingston Heath.

Shooting a second round bogey free four under 68 Woods finished the day on ten under par taking a handy three shot lead over Australians James Nitties and Greg Chalmers and American Jason Dufner.

The 14 time Major Champion, flanked by the majority of the 24, 007 strong crowd, fired off two successive birdies on his opening holes before picking up two more at the sixth and par five 12th. Whilst he enjoys a three shot buffer Woods admitted today was more of a challenge than yesterday’s opening round as the wind picked up late in the day.

“Today I didn’t really do anything great so shoot a 68 was pretty good considering the conditions,” said Woods.

“It was alot faster, the fairways were quicker and it became pretty apparent that you had to miss the ball in the correct spots to have any kind of chance.”

“I didn’t quite hit the ball as clean as I did yesterday, but then again the wind was blowing and I did have a couple of short birdie putts that I missed but I also the two big par putts…so to not drop a shot today on a par, those are the days that you feel quite good about it.”

Nitties, who shot an opening round 66 to hold the overnight lead with Woods was sitting comfortably at nine under par with four holes to play but disappointing bogeys at 15 and 17 saw the 27 year old drop back to seven under and lose his chance to play in tomorrow’s final group with the world number one.

That honour goes to Dufner courtesy of being first in with the scorecard, whilst Nitties and Chalmers will be partnered in the second last group.

It was the same story for 36 year old Chalmers who followed his first round 68 with a shot a solid four under par 69. Eight under after 16 he hooked his second shot on 17 and finished with a bogey.

“I was a little disappointed I made bogey on 17,” said Chalmers, knowing he had missed out playing with Woods tomorrow. “It’s very rare when he comes down here so to play with him at anytime is always a pleasure, so I was a little frustrated by that but at the same time I have played with him before – it just would have been nice in Australia to have a game with Tiger Woods.

It was Dufner though who produced the round of the day shooting a five under 67. The 32 year old American who finished 11th on the FedExCup Standings on the USPGA TOUR shot five birdies on the front nine turning in 31 and reaching nine under par before two late bogeys saw him drop two shots.

Three players are tied for fifth place on six under par including Australians Mathew Goggin (70) and Ashley Hall (69) and Manny Villegas (68), younger brother of USPGATOUR star Camillo. Taking a share of eighth place is Stuart Appleby (70), Cameron Percy (72), New Zealand’s Mahal Pearce (68) and last week’s Cellarbrations Queensland PGA Champion Steven Bowditch.

Of the other leading Australian contenders, John Senden (69) is on two-under alongside Adam Scott (71), a stroke clear of Richard Green (71) while Rod Pampling, who played with Woods, shot a 70 for three-under overall. Craig Parry, also in Woods’ group made the cut by one shot after a 76 and Geoff Ogilvy shot a 73 to finish on one over.

Coming off Thursday’s one-over 73, Aaron Baddeley was in danger of disappearing out the back door when he double-bogeyed his fifth hole for the morning, the par-five 14th, which has proved easy pickings for virtually all the leading contenders.

But the 2007 Australian Masters champion who also won the Australian Open at the Heath in 2000 redeemed himself with a scorching inward nine.

An eagle at the first was the trigger and he kept it going with a flurry of birdies from 5 through 7 for a 68 which has him at three-under overall.

77 players made the cut of three over including amateur Matthew Giles from NSW.

Day three of the 2009 JBWere Masters begins Saturday with the first group teeing off at 7:10am while Dufner and Woods will begin their round at 1:07pm.

ROUND ONE

WORLD number one Tiger Woods is locked in a three way tie for the lead with Aussie young gun James Nitties and South African Branden Grace after the trio fired an impressive six under 66 in the opening round of the 2009 JBWere Masters at Kingston Heath Golf Club.

Woods tore up the course in his first competitive round at the famed Sandbelt Course setting the early pace after teeing off at 7.30am from the tenth tee with playing partners Aussies Craig Parry and defending champion Rod Pampling. 

Flanked by a gallery that quickly doubled from the initial 10,000 dedicated fans, the 14 time Major Champion picked up birdies at the 12th and 14th coming home with another five on his back nine with his only blemish a bogey on 18 (the 9th).

“We just couldn’t believe how soft the greens were today”, said Woods.

“I know they are trying to protect them with the heat and the wind and that’s expected but we were pretty surprised.”

“The wind wasn’t really blowing and the greens were soft so we could be pretty aggressive into the greens.”

“Balls were backing up and that’s pretty different around this golf course.”

Flanked by besotted fans Woods was once again complimentary of the Australian galleries.

“I think the people were extremely respectful and they were trying to police themselves, which was great. You don’t find that very often.”

 “The galleries are very knowledgeable.” 

Melbourne-born-Nova-Castrian Nitties, who has had a solid year on the USPGA Tour as a 2009 rookie used his local knowledge on his way to a bogey free round, the highlight an eagle at the 516 metre par four, 15th.

 “I love Kingston.  It’s in the best shape that I’ve seen it.  I’ve only played about 10 total rounds here, but it’s awesome.  It’s really a pleasure to play,” said Nitties.

“I’ve been a bit rusty.  I’ve played once in the last five weeks, so for me to just come out and hit some half decent shots was my goal.”

Twenty one year South African Branden Grace was the surprise packet of the first round with the little known European Tour player only entering the tournament in a last ditch attempt to regain his European Tour card where he sits in 149th place (the top 115 get their cards).  

In just his second sojourn Down Under and his first visit to Melbourne, Grace revealed that he most likely must finish third in the tournament to retain his card but was optimistic following his first round showing,

I played really solidly today and just really enjoyed it out there,” he said. “I was seven under with two to go and had a bogey on 17 which in the end was just really stupid. I was a unlucky on 18 because my shot was inches from the hole which would have had me in the lead but you know I’m really happy. I am up there and hopefully I can keep playing that way for the next three rounds.”

Just one shot behind the leaders after rounds of 67 are Victorian Cameron Percy, who will enjoy his rookie season on the US Tour in 2010 after finishing eighth on the 2009 Nationwide Tour Money List and New Zealand’s Doug Holloway with the Aussie trio of Greg Chalmers, Mathew Goggin and Peter Nolan tied for sixth place on four under par.

Local favourite Stuart Appleby shot a solid three under par 69 to be three shots off the lead with Craig Parry and Michael Sim on two under, 70 and defending champion Rod Pampling tied for 23rd place alongside Adam Scott with Australia’s highest ranked golfer Geoff Ogilvy at even par alongside Marc Leishman and 2004 Australian Masters champion Richard Green.

Play resumes Friday at 7:30am with the afternoon groups taking to the course at 11:50 featuring Woods, Pampling and Parry at 12:20 starting at the first tee.

The Melbourne temperatures are expected to remain warm with temperatures reaching 29C tomorrow with a hotter weekend ahead as temps reach 35C on Saturday.

Tiger Woods begins the Australian Summer of Golf in a big way at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.

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