TIGER FEAT

Woods wants to turn back the clock

TIGER WOODS reckons the Open offers his best chance of winning more Majors as he tees up at Carnoustie for his 20th appearance tomorrow.

The American has missed the last two Opens, following back surgery – and he admitted yesterday he feared he would never return.

Last July, he was completing an “out-of-state, private, intensive program”, after his arrest for driving under the influence of a cocktail of medication.

But Woods, 42, is now preparing to play in rock-hard conditions, reminiscent of his last Open victory at Hoylake in 2006 ( far left).

Without any Major since the 2008 US Open victory, he would only joke that this week is his best chance to next win a long-awaited 15th.

“Not to be smart, but it is the next Major I’m playing,” Woods smiled.

But the oldest Major has also given a stage to the canny old boys, with Greg Norman and Tom Watson competing in the last decade – and Woods said this is the Major where he has the best chance of future success.

“As far as long-term, certainly, I would say yes because of the fact that you don’t have to be long to play on a links-style golf course, and look at what Tom did at Turnberry at 59,” he said.

“So it’s possible. Greg was there at Birkdale, I think about 54-ish, It certainly can be done.

“You get to places like Augusta National, where it’s just a big ballpark, and the golf course outgrows you, unfortunately. That’s just the way it goes.

“But on a links-style golf course, you can roll the ball. On Monday, I hit a three-iron 333 yards down 18. Well, even if I get a little bit older, I can still chase some wood or long club down there and hit the ball the same distance.

“So distance becomes a moot point on a links-style golf course. But creativity plays such an important role, and you have guys like Tom playing late in his career, doing well. There’s a reason why he won five of these – he was very creative and hit all the shots.”

Woods won his third and last Open title at sun-kissed Royal Liverpool in 2006, where he used his driver only once in 72 holes.

Although it rained here yesterday, the Carnoustie course is still running like a motorway and the world No.71 hit a seven-iron off the tee on the parfour third hole in practice.

“It could be that way (like Hoylake),” said Woods. “But I’m not going to hit many long clubs off the tees.”

His first experience of links golf was at the Scottish Open at Carnoustie in 1995 as an a m a t e u r before his first Open at St Andrews – and his last Open appearance came on the Old Course in 2015.

Woods, who called his return to Major golf at the Masters a “miracle” said: “There were definitely points in that time where I certainly thought I’d never play in the Championship again.

“It’s great seeing it on TV, but it’s even better in person.

“But now to have the opportunity to come back to Carnoustie to play here in Scotland again – it’s been a blessing.”