Tiger’s not kidding about winning Open

US golfer Tiger Woods smiles at Royal Liverpool Golf Course in Hoylake. Source: AFP

FOR a man who couldn't get out of bed just a few months ago, Tiger Woods has set himself a fairly lofty goal this weekend - win the British Open.

Coming back from spinal surgery and playing on a links course that can't make up its mind whether to be Little Bo Beep or Jack the Ripper, Woods knows exactly who he wants to be come Sunday: Tiger Woods.

At his sardine-packed press conference at Royal Liverpool Woods was asked, given his limited preparation, what would be an acceptable finish this weekend.

"First".

Everyone laughed. Everyone, that is, except Woods.

So anything less than that would be unacceptable?

"That's always the case, yeah."

From anyone else you'd write off such bravado as just that, but this is Tiger and history is on his side.

The last time the Open was held at Royal Liverpool was 2006 and Woods was in a bad place mentally. His father had just died, he'd bombed out in the US Open and, as the world would soon know, he was living a lie in his personal life.

And he won The Open.

Tiger Woods of the United States tees off during a practice round in Hoylake, England. Source: Getty Images

"That was a very emotional week," he recalled. "I pressed pretty hard at Augusta that year, trying to win it, because it was the last time my dad was ever going to see me play a Major championship. Then I didn't play well at the Open; missed the cut there miserably.

"Then I came here and just felt at peace. I really, really played well. On Sunday I really felt calm out there. It was surreal at the time. I really felt that my dad was with me on that one round. As I said back then, it was like having my 15th club. I felt that type of peace when I was out there."

Peace is something that Woods has rarely enjoyed since, whether due to the controversy surrounding his private life, or the string of injuries that have caused physical pain and time away from the game.

He says one can be pushed to the back of his mind, the other not so much.

"You know, you can have emotional turmoil and still play well. Physically when you're hurt, you're hurt. This particular injury with my back, I didn't want to do anything. I couldn't get out of bed. I couldn't move around the house. I couldn't do anything.

"When you are hurting like that it's tough to really play well, especially over a long period of time. Golf's a marathon. It's four days, five-hour-plus days of playing and grinding.

"When I've been physically not feeling my best it's tough. You can do it for a day. You can do it for maybe two days, but it's really hard to do it for all four."

Tiger Woods of the US holds his scorecard after putting on the 11th green during a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf championship. Source: AP

Which is not to say it can't be done.

"I've been in circumstances like this before," he said. "If you remember in '08 I had knee surgery right after the Masters. I teed it up and won a US Open.

"In the lead-up I didn't play more than nine holes and on the Sunday before the US Open I didn't break 50 for nine holes and still was able to win it in a playoff, with an ACL and a broken leg.

"I've proven I can do it, it's just a matter of playing my game and giving myself the best chances this week to hit the ball in the correct spots, to be aggressive when I can, and obviously to hole putts.

"That's a recipe you find for every Major championship, but I've just got to do it this week".

And then, the final question. The one that gets asked just about every time Woods walks into a room. The one about whether he can beat Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 Majors.

"Tiger," he is asked, "If you remain fit would you consider playing right through your 40s or even into your early 50s to beat Jack's record?"

He looks the reporter in the eye.

"Hopefully I'll have it done by then," he says, and everyone laughs.

Everyone, that is, except Tiger Woods.

Originally published as Tiger's not kidding about winning Open

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