Win-hungry Tiger adds Dubai to growing event list
Tiger Woods added the Dubai Desert Classic to his growing list of 2017 tournaments on Thursday, giving him four events in five weeks in a golf fitness test well ahead of April's Masters.
Woods, a 14-time major champion, last month returned from a 16-month layoff following back surgery. The former world number one confirmed in a blog posting on his website that he would play February 2-5 in the United Arab Emirates at an event he won in 2006 and 2008.
The move came a day after announcing he would play the week before at the PGA event at Torrey Pines, which he has won seven times. He has also scheduled starts February 16-19 at Riviera and the following week at the Honda Classic near his South Florida home.
"I am working hard to sharpen my game for 2017 and my goal is simple: to win," Woods said. "Winning takes care of itself."
Woods, ranked 321st, probably would not qualify for the World Golf Championships event the following week in Mexico, an event held at Doral in past years.
That would leave his last likely tuneup for the year's first major, the Masters on April 6-9 at Augusta National, as the Arnold Palmer Invitational three weeks ahead of the battle for the green jacket. Woods has won eight times at the Bay Hill event.
Woods has not won a major since the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines and has not won any event since the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in August 2013.
In his return event, Woods fired a four-under-par 284 to finish 15th in the 18-man Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. A second-round 65 and flashes of the form that made him a superstar added to the drama of his comeback but a closing 76 showed he needed more consistency in his ball striking.
"What I did at the Hero World Challenge was a positive step," Woods said. "I just need to keep building off that and eliminate the simple mistakes I made.
"My good stuff was really good, which is a great sign."
Woods said he has worked harder than ever before to make his lastest comeback after failed returns from prior nagging leg, knee and back injuries.
"My love for the game never left. It's just that the body would not allow me to play," Woods said.
"Now my body is allowing me to do it again. Combine that with the amount of support I have received from so many people, and the help I've had from players and friends, and there is great reason for optimism."