Smile returns but Tiger will let clubs do talking

GOLF US MASTERS:A LEOPARD doesn't change his spots and, for Tiger Woods, the benchmark hasn't changed. Once a winner, always a winner. As he heads into the US Masters at Augusta National, the former world number one – now down to an improbable seventh in the official world rankings – is, it seems, more intent than ever to do his talking with his clubs.

The incentive? As ever, to break Jack Nicklaus’s record haul of 18 Major titles. Woods, with 14, but none since he claimed the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008 on one good leg, remains the man most likely to catch and overtake the so-called ‘Golden Bear’. But only if he can rekindle that magic of old.

Yesterday, Woods – teeth gleaming and a smile more ready than it has been in a while to crease his face – faced us down, as if to tempt fate.

Was he aware of Ian Poulter’s comments? For the record, Poulter had observed: “I don’t think he’ll finish in the top-five . . . when he gets in position where he’s close, he generally holes putts at the right time. He hasn’t done that for a while. But I think if he starts to hole putts, then you will see the Tiger of old come out and that’s dangerous. But I don’t see it this week. If he does win, it would be a hell of an achievement. He hasn’t won for what? 18 months? Two years?”

Woods’s response to the question was to digest the information, to store it, and to break into a smile. “Well, Poulter is always right, isn’t he?”

For the first time since he devoured the field in 1997, and caused such consternation in the ranks of the green-jacketed members that a course of action which became known as Tiger-proofing came into being, Woods has arrived here in a position where he is not the favourite.

Even last year, on his return to competition for the first time since his scandalous off-course behaviour came to light, Woods’s aura was such that he was still installed as the favourite.

Did it matter to him that he wasn’t favourite? Would he use it as motivation? “It doesn’t matter. You still have to play the golf tournament, right? We all have an opportunity. Everyone has the same opportunity as I do and always has. So you’ve just got to go out there and play and see where it adds up.”

Later, he was asked if he was ready to win this week.

“Mm-hmm,” he replied, nodding his head.

Why? “Mm-hmm,” he continued, again nodding his head.

What part of his game was ready? No answer. Just a smile.

Later again, when asked if Nicklaus’s all-time record still meant as much to him, Woods didn’t back down. “No, I absolutely want to do it. That’s the benchmark and gold standard in this sport, is 18,” replied Woods.

Did he still believe he would catch Nicklaus? “Mm-hmm,” he again responded, the smile taking on the magnitude of a Colgate ad.

Had we already seen the best of Tiger Woods? “No.”

On his return here a year ago, following on from the fall-out of his late-night car crash outside the former marriage home in Orlando and his subsequent spell in rehabilitation, Woods somehow managed to rediscover enough of his game to get into contention before eventually finishing fourth behind Phil Mickelson.

Since then, more has changed. His then coach Hank Haney has been replaced by Sean Foley and he has undergone a number of swing changes. “It’s taken a while to build in new motor patterns. It takes a while for it to be laid down. It just takes time.

“It took a long time with Butch (Harmon) and it took a long time with Hank (Haney) and so far it has taken a long time with Sean. It’s taken a long time to develop the patterns and know what the fixes are. I’m finally starting to shape the ball both ways and being able to fix it if I don’t. It’s just a totally different philosophy than what I was employing before,” explained Woods.

Where better to test it than on the ultimate golfing examination that is Augusta National? He has conquered the course and field before for four of his Majors. This time, the quest for a 15th career Major will be kick off alongside US Open champion Graeme McDowell – his nemesis from the Chevron World Challenge last December – and Aussie Robert Allenby.