Finally, an interview of substance: Woods grilled on drugs Doctor
Tiger Woods may not always have been the most forthcoming of interview subjects, but it seems the golfer has been discussing some difficult topics in recent weeks - albeit not with journalists.
Woods revealed yesterday that he had been helping US authorities in their inquiries regarding the Canadian doctor Anthony Galea yesterday; Galea has been charged with unlawfully treating athletes with human growth hormone.
In an interview after his opening round at the AT&T National at Aronimink yesterday, Woods admitted he had met with officials, employing his trademark brevity as he commented: "I co-operated and answered all their questions and that was it."
Woods was a former patient of the doctor, though the golfer has denied ever taking performance-enhancing substances, and is not accused of any wrong-doing. Woods says he has only ever worked with Galea on a legal "blood-spinning" technique when he was trying to recover from a knee injury.
The news rather overshadowed Woods' performance on the golf course. His army of loyal followers may have believed their idol was on the way back to his best, following glimpses of a marauding Woods at Pebble Beach two weeks ago on the Saturday (his play on the Sunday wasn't so thrilling).
But on the evidence of the first round, Woods' play remains fundamentally flawed - and perplexingly, it's a different dimension of his game that is giving the world No. 1 grief right now.
After labouring with a wild swing that would surely have seen a lesser player struggle to match Woods' accomplishments this year - two top-five finishes in the majors - now the 34-year-old's green play appears to have deserted him, Woods taking 30 putts in his opening round in Pennsylvania, and admitting in an interview: "I just putted awful, really."
The 14-time major winner finished three-over-par, some seven shots off the lead. Woods used to host this tournament - on current form, might he even find himself not invited to partake next year?
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