Tiger Week Commences At The Farmers Insurance Open With A Change In Expectations

This latest rendition of Tiger Week has much different vibe than the WDs and missed cut adventures from a year ago. This go-around, Woods appears healthy, pain free, happy and smacking the hell out of the ball. Which makes his first two rounds at the Farmers Insurance Open so intriguing.

Playing partners and media members gushed how well he looked–even when playing in the cold San Diego mornings.

On DraftKings, Woods was the 5th most expensive player (yeah, I took a flyer with him on one team).

Yet, there’s a palatable caution on expectations. Meaning, not hoping for a win but making the cut and competing pain free over four days. Golfworld’s John Strege explains.

There hasn’t been a PGA Tour event in the 317 he has played as a professional that he would not at least have entertained the idea of winning. Maybe, too, the 11 he played as an amateur, the first at age 16.

“My expectations have tempered a little bit, because I haven’t played,” Woods said following his pro-am round at Torrey Pines on Wednesday. “I haven’t played a full schedule since 2015. It’s been a long time. To be honest with you, I just want to start playing on the tour and getting into a rhythm of playing a schedule again.

“I haven’t done that in such a long time, so I don’t know what to expect. Just go out there and just play. I’m going to grind it, give everything I possibly have, try to put the ball in the right position and make some putts and try to work my way up the board.”

“I’m just trying to build towards April,” he said. “I’m looking forward to playing a full schedule and getting ready for the Masters and I haven’t done that in a very long time. From ’96 on it’s been that way to try to get ready for Augusta and there’s no reason to change that.

“I just really haven’t played tournament golf basically since Wyndham in [August} 2015. I want to start feeling what it feels like to be out here and hit shots, grind out scores. That’s something I’ve been looking forward to.”

I predict (okay hope) he makes the cut and builds on the experience heading to Riviera CC and ultimately Augusta.

He tees off with Charley Hoffman and Patrick Reed at 12:40 CST on Torrey Pines’ tougher South Course.