ONE MAN & HIS JUG
Tiger backed for Home of Golf return
PAUL LAWRIE reckons Tiger Woods appears on track to make the 150th Open at St Andrews.
The 15-times Major champion made a successful return to the competitive arena by finishing runner-up at last weekend’s PNC Championship in Florida. Playing in his first event since suffering career-threatening injuries in a car crash 10 months ago, Woods and son Charlie hit 11 consecutive birdies on the final day of the family event in Orlando. Woods is taking a cautious approach with his comeback but has stated the anniversary Open on the Old Course next July is circled clearly on his calendar. The 45-year-old was victorious at the Home of Golf in both 2000 and 2005 and has made no secret of the fact it is his favourite venue on the planet. Claret Jug winner Lawrie took a keen interest in the superstar’s performance as he watched on TV and felt Woods gave off great signs of progress in his comeback. He said: “Tiger looked better than people thought he would be. He hit an awful lot of good shots.
“Three-woods off the fairway to 260 yards to the pin and he was pitching them on the green, nobody was expecting that.
“He did a good job of playing it down before the event but he knew. “If he hadn’t felt ready there’s no way he would have played. But he looked way better than I was expecting and it was nice to see him playing again.
“You could tell on the back nine that he was right into it.”
Lawrie is fully aware that Woods will need more time to reach full speed and added: “It looks like he’s still struggling a wee bit with his right leg. That will take a bit of time to get it up to PGA Tour standard.
“But you’d hope by the time of the Masters in another five months he would be all right to play, I would have thought.”
Lawrie admitted he was envious as he watched Tiger and his boy get the opportunity to play alongside each other in a big event.
Charlie captured plenty of attention in Florida and little wonder with the 12-year-old pulling off some incredible shots for someone so young.
Lawrie was taken aback by the effort and smiled at some of the on-course traits which the son has clearly taken from his father.
He added: “I would love to play in that with one of my boys and I’ve tried to get into it. But I’ve never had an invite.
“I understand a lot of the criticism for people following a 12-year-old little boy but some of his play was unbelievable and I really enjoyed watching him.
“Charlie hit a shot into the 17th. That’s a five iron from 170-odd yards in a left-to-right wind with a left pin and water on the left. But he was right in there and had one finger up when the ball hit the green.
“Charlie’s swing has improved a lot in the last year. It’s way better. But everyone has to remember he’s 12 years old and it just looks like he’s having fun playing with his dad. Just leave it at that.”