Woods making real progress

US TOUR:TIGER WOODS has warned that his recovery is ahead of schedule as he goes into the final warm-up event for the Players Championship this week.

Making his first appearance since the Masters, Woods headlines a strong field for the Quail Hollow Championship in North Carolina as the likes of Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera and Pádraig Harrington all put the finishing touches to their preparations for Sawgrass.

And Woods, who is still getting back into top shape after almost a year out following knee surgery, believes he is starting to find his swing again.

“I’m ahead (of schedule),” he said. “I didn’t think I’d be playing pain-free in my knee, just because of what I went through and all the rehab. It wasn’t fun.

“It was long days of just not feeling very good at all, and to come out here and do whatever I wanted to do, hit shots however I wanted to hit them and not have to worry about it, I’m certainly ahead of schedule.”

Woods won this event in 2007, but was unable to defend his title last year due to his injury.

Returning to one of his favourite courses allows him to put the injury behind him.

“I’m just now starting to get my pop back,” he said. “I’m starting to get my speed back, and that’s obviously going to take a little time.”

The strong field includes Mickelson who boasts a strong record on this course.

Last year, Anthony Kim became the youngest winner in PGA Tour history as he stormed to a five-stroke victory here at the age of 22, and he has already declared this is his favourite course on the tour.

THE LOWDOWN

Course:Quail Hollow CC, Charlotte, North Carolina

Length:7,442 yards. Par: 72.

Prizemoney:€4.9 million, €880,000 for the winner.

Field:156.

Defending champion:Anthony Kim broke 72-hole record to win by five shots.

Course winners taking part:David Toms, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Anthong Kim.

On TV:Setanta Golf.

Weather:Cloudy with threat of rain.