Tiger Woods blames fatigue after a long season for missing WGC
in China
Tiger Woods said fatigue was the reason he skipped this week's World Golf Championship event in China.
As Australian Adam Scott and South African Louis Oosthuizen grabbed
the first-round lead at the $7 million event in Shenzhen on Thursday,
the 36-year-old Woods was holding a putting clinic for school children
in Singapore.
The main sponsor had been unhappy Woods and world number one McIlroy
chose to miss the WGC event despite being in the country and playing in a
lucrative exhibition event.
Woods said he was looking forward to competing in the World Challenge
in December, an invitational event he hosts in California, before
putting his clubs away for a long rest.
"I was tired and doing these things (clinics) are easy. Competing and
getting ready for another golf tournament, I just didn't want to do
that," Woods told reporters at Marina Bay after offering his expertise
to 12 selected teenagers. Woods, winner of 14 majors before his marriage imploded in late 2009,
lost to McIlroy by a shot in the exhibition dubbed 'The duel on the
lake'. The American said he was happy with his year after returning from
numerous injury problems.
"This year, I've had three wins and things are certainly progressing
nicely," said Woods, who has been plagued by knee, back and Achilles
injuries in recent years.
"Last year I was 127th on the (PGA Tour) money list, or whatever I
was, and this year I'm second so that's a pretty good improvement in a
year and given that I'm healthy I'm really looking forward to next year.
"Four more opportunities at major championships and with my game improving, I'm very excited about that for next year."
His three tour titles meant he overtook Jack Nicklaus for second
place on the all-time PGA Tour win list. But he remains four behind the
'Golden Bear' on major titles as swing changes introduced by coach Sean
Foley have yet to yield a major reward.
"I'm working on it," Woods said, when asked when he would add to his haul after last winning at the 2008 US Open.
"Last year I was hurt most of the summer and didn't play anything, so implementing change like that ... has taken its time."
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