GOLF-The Game Of Life

Tiger hopes to play at Memorial and US Open



ST LOUIS: World number one Tiger Woods said on Monday that his recovery from left knee surgery is going well and that he hopes to play in the Memorial tournament in two weeks as well as the US Open.

Speaking from his Florida home to reporters gathered here at the site of a US PGA Tour playoff event in September, Woods said he has not progressed beyond chipping and putting but plans to do so soon. “The rehab is going well. I’ve been training hard,” Woods said. “I’m getting sick and tired of riding the bike, though. That gets old fast. “I’m chipping and putting. I’m not doing anything beyond that. Hopefully I’ll start hitting balls, start progressing soon and work my way up the bag.” Woods’ target is due to return to the tour by May 29, the opening round of the Memorial event hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Dublin, Ohio, and be ready for the second major tournament of the year, the US Open on June 12-15 at Torrey Pines. “Everything in my life is doing great,” Woods said. “I’m just trying to get the leg organised enough to where I can play and hopefully I can play before. If not, if I can’t play before, then hopefully at the Open.” Woods has won 13 major titles, five shy of matching boyhood idol Nicklaus for the all-time career record. He has won six times as a pro at Torrey Pines, including an eight-stroke triumph in his 2008 debut this campaign to start a run of four victories in a row to begin the season. Woods, who has undergone three operations on the knee, has made swing shifts over the years to try and ease stress upon his legs. “That’s one of the reasons why I’ve made changes in my swing over the years, to alleviate the stress I put on my legs,” Woods said. “It has gotten better and hopefully it will continue to get better.” After Spain’s Sergio Garcia won the Players Championship on Sunday, he joked that he was glad Woods did not play. “I think he was just poking fun,” Woods said. Woods expects a more difficult layout than PGA events at Torrey Pines when he sees the San Diego course next month. “I’m sure (the fairways) are probably narrower. The rough will certainly be deeper and the greens will be dried out and baked out that time of year,” Woods said.

“I’m really looking forward to it, looking forward to getting back there and playing. I haven’t played in those conditions, dry and fast, since probably the Junior World days. “But it was nowhere near as difficult as it will be during the US Open.”