The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Woods ready for Buick Open challenge

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Friday, Aug 04, 2006

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Sport - Golf

Woods ready for Buick Open challenge

GRAND BLANC: Tiger Woods smiled and joked with pro-am partner Jerome Bettis, the retired Super Bowl winner, as they walked off the ninth hole.

Woods later walked across a green when he spotted a friend from junior golf, Gilberto Morales. After a warm embrace they spent the next 15 minutes catching up between shots. Woods also posed for pictures, signed autographs and did a TV interview on Wednesday, the day before the start of the Buick Open.

The last time he was in the public eye, the scene was dramatically different. He was sobbing uncontrollably in the arms of caddie Steve Williams and wife Elin two weeks ago at the British Open after winning for the first time since his father's death in May. The touching moment was replayed on TV and captured by photographers, but Woods said he hasn't seen it.

``I remember being in Stevie's arms and crying like a baby and him pushing me away into my wife and just bawling there. I've never done that,'' he said. ``It was the first time I've been in a golf tournament without Dad, either seeing me or being around physically, where I could call him. ``Those days are over. I'll never have that again.''

Woods said the timing of one of his regular stops — two weeks before the U.S. PGA Championship — couldn't be better. ``It works out perfect,'' said Woods, playing the Buick Open for the eighth time. ``I got a chance to unwind for a few days, and then get back up and ready for this event.'' — AP

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