Woods has more than golf on his mind

NINE holes of practice had seen five balls disappear into water, but when Tiger Woods spoke to reporters in Florida yesterday it was clear that the state of his game is not his major worry right now.

Four days after crashing to a 79 and missing the cut at Quail Hollow by an incredible eight shots, Woods looked and sounded thoroughly down as he tries to prepare for the £6.2m (€7.2m) Players Championship, golf’s richest event.

Amid continuing reports that his Swedish wife is seeking a divorce over the sex scandal that rocked golf five months ago, the world number one admitted that his emotional turmoil is impacting on his play.

“Absolutely,” said Woods, who has Ian Poulter as one of his two partners in the opening two rounds at Sawgrass and who could lose top spot in the rankings to Phil Mickelson if he is outside the first five on Sunday.

This is the third event of his comeback. In the first he managed what many considered, given the circumstances, a brilliant fourth place in The Masters, but last week was arguably the worst of his career.

Invited to compare this return to golf to last year after an eight-month injury lay-off he replied: “This is more taxing certainly away from the golf course with paparazzi following me and all those kind of things.

“I didn’t have the distractions getting ready for events. You know, helicopters don’t normally fly over you on the range and kind of hover and film you.

“That wasn’t the case then, but that’s the case now.”

And when asked whether he was angry or surprised about the Sports Illustrated article in which nearly a quarter of players polled said they thought he had taken performance-enhancing drugs he answered: “After what’s happened in my life?

“Well, I haven’t taken it. I’ve never taken performance-enhancing drugs, never taken any of that stuff. But everyone is entitled to their opinion.”

As for how he is playing Woods added in spite of some of the evidence of his morning’s work: “It’s getting better. It couldn’t get any worse.”

There are rumours that he and coach Hank Haney could be parting company, but on that he stated: “I’m still working with him.”

Woods is now only joint favourite with Mickelson this time – and bookmakers William Hill’s think that has not happened since the ‘96 Masters.

Because of how Rory McIlroy played last week – closing rounds of 66 and 62 to win his first US Tour title by four – he is listed as third favourite.

Woods is as impressed as anyone by the Irishman, who turned 21 yesterday.

“Rory hits it past me. I shrimp it out there now,” he said after praising not only McIlroy, but also 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa for his 58 in Japan on Sunday.

“I think it’s how the game has evolved. With the advent of technology these kids are able to view their swings via a camera and make improvements so much faster.

“Their golf swings are so much better at an earlier age, even from when I grew up.”

Meanwhile Anthony Kim and Steve Stricker, two of America’s biggest stars, are out of the Players Championship.

World number three Stricker was the first to withdraw because of the collarbone injury which also forced him to miss last week’s Quail Hollow Championship.

And Kim, third in The Masters a month ago, has now followed him because of the thumb problem he has been battling for a year.