Woods shines as McIlroy struggles

Tiger Woods gave himself the chance to stage the third biggest last-day comeback in Masters history as he dazzled while Rory McIlroy struggled early on.

Seven behind the 21-year-old Northern Irishman when he resumed, Woods went to the turn in a fantastic five-under-par 31 that was only one off the tournament record.

And with McIlroy bogeying the first and fifth in a nightmare opening, the pair were level on 10-under-par - and they had South African Charl Schwartzel alongside them after he chipped in at the first and pitched in for eagle at the third.

So if anybody thought McIlroy was in an unassailable position when he teed off four clear of the field they were quickly made to think again. McIlroy three-putted the first for bogey, struggled hard for a par five on the next after going in two bunkers and then missed from three feet for a five at the 455-yard fifth.

Woods had teed off an hour earlier, but after making four at the long second he pitched to three feet on the next - not as good as Schwartzel, but still pretty good.

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A three-putt bogey on the short fourth appeared a bogey he could ill-afford, but then came further birdies at the sixth and seventh, both from eight feet, and on the uphill 570-yard eighth he moved into overdrive.

His second shot ran up to 10 feet and in went the eagle putt before he salvaged a miraculous par at the next, going from pine straw in the trees to a greenside bunker and holing from 15 feet. And all this, of course, after 17 months and 20 events without a victory as he dropped from world number one to seventh in the rankings.

Luke Donald was in the hunt too, making birdie at the second and responding to a bogey at the seventh with a four on the eighth to be only two behind and joint fifth.

Fellow Englishman Ross Fisher was two further back after also making birdie at the eighth, but last year's runner-up Lee Westwood, having turned in 33, looked to have fallen out of the race when he double-bogeyed the short 12th.

He was four under with Scot Martin Laird, who playing with Woods was watching some sparkling stuff even if he was not able to match it. He was out in a level-par 36.

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Tiger Woods in Masters mood after 'very good' week finishing 24th

Tiger Woods has put himself into 'Masters mode', ending weeks of introspective analysis to state confidently that he can win the Augusta major for a fifth time next month.

Woods shot an even-par 72 in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Sunday to end the week one-under, seven shots behind the winner Martin Laird, of Scotland, in joint 24th.

The numbers were not great but Woods was happy with his hitting throughout a round which was damaged by a bogey on the 17th and then a double bogey on the final hole where he found water.

Afterwards Woods was asked about his driving, his putting and his comfort level.

The 14-times major winner has been willing to share his problems of late but this time the message was that he was getting better in all those areas and that crucially, for those who wonder whether he still has that formidable confidence, he had no doubt about whether he can triumph at Augusta.

Woods had a one-word answer to the question of whether he could win: "Absolutely."

It was old-school Tiger, a sign that with just over a week to prepare for the Masters he is now in the zone and no longer focusing on the doubts and what he has called "the process".

"It was a very good week and a week I need to see. I really hit the ball well and the things that we have been working on for the last couple of weeks really, really felt comfortable today, I felt I was able to control just about every shot today," he told reporters.

His driving? "Much better. Every day has gotten a little bit tighter which is good. I have to keep working, keep staying the course, each day is progressing. Today was really nice," he said.

"I need to keep progressing and hopefully it will peak two more Thursdays from now. Early in the year was disappointing because the conditions showed some signs of weakness that I had to work on – now it's feeling very, very good".

That positive talk was, however, made against the backdrop of a messy end to his round.

"I played well all day and the best shot I hit was on 17th but it didn't come out. On 18 I was caught between clubs, went with the lower one and didn't luck out.

"I hit three water balls this week and had a few missed putts here and there and I'm not that far behind. Add all that together, you can't afford to make those mistakes."

Woods is missing next week's tour event in Houston and instead he heads early to Augusta to start practice. Last year Woods went into Augusta without playing any tour events and finished tied fourth.

"It is nice to have some tournaments under my belt and be more in tournament shape going in. They have made a couple of changes at Augusta. I'll take a look at those and develop a game plan," he said.

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Why the Tiger Woods scandal will help Lee Westwood win a major

Lee Westwood insists he is on the brink of major glory, despite thedisappointment of yet another tale of what might have been at theMasters.

And the man he believes will give him the edge over Tiger Woods andthe rest of the field is his caddie, Englishman Billy Foster, who wastipped to benefit most from the scandal surrounding the world No 1.

During the height of the controversy surrounding Woods' serialwomanising, one of the strongest reports to sweep the golfing communitywas that, in a purge of his staff, Steve Williams would be sacked ashis caddie and replaced by Foster, who carried Tiger's bag at the 2005President's Cup.

But as the American continued to insist that he alone knew of hissecret life, New Zealander Williams kept his job and provided helpfulcounselling when the shamed golfer stepped back into the public arena.

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Tiger Woods to play Quail Hollow Championship

Tiger Woods will play his second event since returning to the game at the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, which starts on April 29.

The world No.1, fresh from playing last week's US Masters, told his website: "It's a wonderful venue and they always have a great field."

He will use Quail Hollow as part of his build-up to June's U.S. Open.

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Tiger Woods to take part in Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte

Tiger Woods said he was 'excited' about competing in the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte. The tournament is a regular station on his post-Masters calendar and appears to confirm Woods’s intention to resume his normal schedule.

Woods usually uses Quail Hollow as a warm-up event for the so-called 'fifth major’, the Players Championship, and judging by Thursday’s announcement, he can now be expected at both that tournament at Sawgrass and the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village a week later.

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After last week’s Masters at Augusta, when his much-trumpeted return to golf after a five-month absence passed without incident, Woods had hinted at another short break from the game, expressing his intention to “take a little time off and re-evaluate things”. However, this process appears to have taken less than a week, with Woods yet again returning earlier than anticipated.

It will be Woods’s first experience of a boisterous crowd, rather than the reverential congregation that politely applauded him to a fourth place finish at Augusta. Clearly Woods feels ready to enter the gladiatorial arena once more, although it is safe to assume that his wife, Elin, will not be accompanying him.

Although he planned to contest the US Open at Pebble Beach in June, it was thought that he would maintain a sparse itinerary, perhaps turning up at Sawgrass on May 6 as a favour to Tim Finchem, the PGA Tour commissioner.

The timing of the announcement is also telling. Following the early submission of his US Open entry form earlier this week, Woods has again opted to make his decision ahead of schedule rather than leaving it until the last minute, as he has tended to in the past.

This latest courtesy by the seemingly rehabilitated Brand Tiger – showing, as he promised, “more respect for the game” – will not go unappreciated by the organisers, who will now have almost two weeks to make preparations for the surge in media and spectator interest that is likely to accompany Woods’s appearance.

The organisers at Quail Hollow could barely contain their delight. “We are very happy to have Tiger coming back,” said executive director Kym Hougham. “Although we did not know if he was going to be able to make it this year, we have been preparing for another strong field.”

It will be Woods’s fifth appearance in what was previously known as the Wachovia Championship, since it was introduced in 2003. He won in 2007, as well as finishing in a tie for third in 2004 and fourth last year.

He will face a strong field, including Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington and defending champion Sean O’Hair. “I’m excited about competing,” Woods said. “It’s a wonderful venue and they always have a great field.”

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