Emirates VP Of Australasia Declares Tiger's Game Ready!

Hey, I just copy and paste this stuff, but you do have to think that Tiger might find this statement released by the Emirates Australian Open folks a little...embarrassing?

QUOTE: BARRIE BROWN – EMIRATES VICE PRESIDENT AUSTRALASIA  (Pro-Am group with Tiger Woods):

“Anyone who thinks that Tiger’s diminished is sadly mistaken, tee to green today he was virtually infallible and in my opinion the only thing that held him back was the speed of the green.

“As the greens dry out and quicken in pace he will definitely make more birdies and he’s an absolute force to be reckoned with in this Emirates Australian Open.”
 
“He was very solid throughout his round though he did treat it as practice."

Eh em...good thing this isn't a PGA Tour event!

*No card is available for this group*

That's a loss for the ages.

On a serious note and notwithstanding the observations of the VP, Robert Lusetich gives us something tangible to look for in Tiger's first round play. He writes about Woods' ability to play well in practice rounds at home, and the inability to translate those rounds to tournament play.

Those who see Woods' play away from tournament golf say he’s as good as he ever was. A few weeks ago he shot 62, breaking the course record at The Medalist in Jupiter, Fla.

“I've seen the best stuff I've ever seen in my life,” Woods’ friend, John Cook, said of his play. “I always tell him: Why don't you just go out and do that?”

Someone who knows Woods says the reason he doesn’t answer the bell at tournaments is because he can’t. Because he has “broken mental apparatus.”

It’s an argument with merit. How much psychological scar tissue remains from the tabloid scandal?