December isn't exactly a golfing month around most of the United States, but some of the best golfers in the world will be hitting the links at the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood County Club in Thousand Oaks, CA starting Thursday, including tournament host and former No. 1 in the world Tiger Woods.
Woods began his recent turnaround at the Frys.com Open in October, Tiger's first event in nearly two months after missing the cut at the PGA Championship and the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He mangaged to shoot strung three-consecutive 68 and place well. Woods is also fresh off his T-3 finish at the Austrailian Open where he was the 54-hole leader, as well as a nice showing in the United States' victory in the President's Cup last month as well. For Tiger though, this is not a coincidence:
"I wasn't as knowledgeable about what I was working on then as I am now," Woods said Wednesday. "That's what was so exciting about Australia...I played really good, and that's exciting.
Tiger's now completely healthy knee and Achilles play a large part of his success, but also finally getting the ins-and-outs of his new golf swing as well:
"I know when I hit a bad shot. I know exactly what it is, so I can rectify it the very next shot. That was the frustrating thing because I could go a spell where I'd play poorly for a couple holes and not know what the fix was. Now it's immediate."
Woods has won his own tournament four times, almost doing so in 2010 as well, though lost in a Sunday shootout with eventual winner Graeme McDowell.