Countdown begins for Tiger's return

Reports yesterday that Tiger Woods is back at home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and that he is trying to get into a routine that includes golf and fitness are sure to begin speculation when he might return to the PGA Tour.

A source told the Associated Press that Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he ran his SUV into a tree in a middle-of-the-night accident on Nov. 27 that set off revelations of his extramarital affairs.

There is still no timetable for golf's No. 1 player to return to competition. It appears unlikely that Woods will play next week in the World Golf Championship at Doral, where he has won three times. His next possibility on the PGA Tour is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he is the defending champion and a six-time winner. The Masters, which Woods has played every year since 1995, follows. Augusta National officials have not indicated whether they expect Woods to compete.

"When he does come back, I hope it's in the Masters, and I hope he's in great form," Masters champion Angel Cabrera said yesterday on a conference call.

Meanwhile, Woods received support from an unlikely source yesterday when his former college girlfriend came to his defense. Check out this link to Golf.com:
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1968826,00.html

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After all of the promotion it has received from Golf Channel, the premier telecast of Being John Daly was almost bound to disappoint. After watching it, Oldgolfdawg was asking himself why he bothered when he could have been watching the Ohio State-Illinois men's basketball game. To say the show was lame would be a gross understatement.

The show is supposed to be chronicling Daly's comeback from personal demons and his return to being a champion golfer. Yes, Daly has lost more than 100 pounds with the help of surgery and has vowed to change his ways with the support of his new girlfriend. But watching Daly smoke cigarettes and justify his outlook on a life full of blown chances -- with an occasional close up of his sad puppy-dog dog eyes thrown in -- doesn't exactly instill one with confidence that he's on the right road.

The show closes with Daly strumming his guitar and singing before a group of friends (perhaps more appropriately described as enablers) around a campfire. To date, Daly's "comeback" has produced lackluster results. In four tournaments in 2010, he has made the cut just once. His best result was a tie for 67th at the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico, where he shot a final-round 81.

Everyone likes pulling for an underdog, but betting on Daly is risky business even if he is a two-time major winner. Oldgolfdawg would be very surprised if Being John Daly enjoys a successful run. It's probably just a matter of time before it becomes derailed by its main character. To better understand Oldgolfdawg's misgivings, check out this golf.com link:
http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1969088,00.html