Woods’ return overshadowed by Rahm’s push to top rankings

TIGER Woods makes his first official start on the PGA Tour for a year in the Farmers Insurance Open — but all eyes may not be on the 14-time major winner.

Woods has won eight times at Torrey Pines, including his last major in the 2008 US Open, but missed the cut in this event 12 months ago, withdrew after an opening 77 in the Dubai Desert Classic and sat out the rest of the year until returning with a tie for ninth in December’s 18-man Hero World Challenge.

“Before the Hero, I was basically given the okay probably about three or four weeks prior to the tournament, and I thought I did pretty good in that prep time,” he said.

“Now I’ve had a little more time to get ready for this event. I’ve played a lot more golf and overall I feel like I’ve made some nice changes. I feel good.”

Woods is rated 22/1 to win his first event since 2013, with defending champion and world number two Jon Rahm the favourite as he seeks a victory which would send him top of the rankings.

“It’s kind of hard to process it, to be honest, because I live my day-to-day life with my girlfriend and my team around me and they don’t change their behaviour based on what I do, right?” Rahm said.

“They’ll never change what they think of me. So I really don’t know the magnitude of what I do until I go outside of my comfort zone.”