THOUSANDS of fans and a media circus worthy of a head of state greeted Tiger Woods at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath golf club yesterday as the world number one made his first visit to Australia in 11 years.
Woods, who arrived by private jet on Monday, tuned up for this week’s €900,000 Masters with a nine-hole practice round in front of throngs of spectators and a low-flying helicopter scanning his every move.
“No, (the reception) is not normal. Thank God it’s not normal,” the 14-time major champion told reporters. “You don’t normally see this many people at a practice round, certainly. Maybe at a major championship.”
Woods’ first tournament in Australia since the 1998 President’s Cup, also in Melbourne, has been seen as a watershed for a tour that has struggled to provide purses and appearance fees large enough to attract golf’s biggest names.
The state of Victoria, which local media have reported paid half of Woods’ €2 million appearance fee, had branded his appearance a coup and said the visit would generate an economic benefit of €13 million.
Woods’ delay in heading back to Australia was a matter of “timing” rather than financial incentives, the 33-year old said.
“There are so many golf tournaments to play all around the world. I just haven’t got down here,” he said. “You don’t get a chance to play in venues like this and it is really a treat to play the sand-belt golf courses.
“It’s one of the reasons I love playing links golf. It’s the same, the only difference here is, well, it’s hot as hell.”
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood firmly in his sights as the Holywood man’s bid to become the second-youngest number one in European history heads to Hong Kong this week.
McIlroy sits a mere €52,321 adrift of Westwood, who has also made the trip to Fanling, in second place in the Race to Dubai ahead of the penultimate event of the season after leapfrogging Martin Kaymer with a brilliant, fourth-place in Shanghai last week.
With the substantial prize money on offer at the season-ending Dubai World Championship, the Order of Merit will not be decided this week, although a win on Sunday would leave either of the Ryder Cup contenders in pole position.
“These two weeks are going to be very good,” said the world number 17. “Hong Kong I love coming to. It’s my fifth year coming here, twice as an amateur and then this is my third Hong Kong Open. I love the city and golf course. It is one of my favourite weeks of the year.
“Winning this event will take care of catching Lee, so that’s what I am focusing on. I will be keeping an eye on Lee’s scores all week. There is not much between us now so any ground I can gain this week will be good to take into Dubai. But winning will take care of that gap so that is my main focus.”
McIlroy is chasing a first Order of Merit title in just his second season, which would see him move behind Seve Ballesteros as the youngest winner of the title, having only claimed a maiden title in Dubai earlier this year.
