Tiger: "I’m a lot better off."

Not really.

The press conference to launch this year's AT&T National at Aronimink offered yet another less-than-pretty look into the world of Tiger Woods' post accident media management. Instead of simply appearing, answering questions and doing his part to promote an event that his name clings to by a thread, Woods used a probably planned-for $1 million foundation donation as a backdoor way of showing the deep rage he holds toward a golf media that once kissed his feet and now which poses straightforward questions about his game and physical well being.

Tiger and his flunkies inexplicably continue to struggle to hide their lingering scandal hostility toward the golf media, even though many golf outlets resisted initial coverage of his accident or the cavalcade of mistresses coming forward with sordid details.

It's not a stretch to imagine that based on yesterday's Tweet from TW Foundation head Greg McLaughlin, that today's $1 million stunt was the concoction of Tiger's braintrust as a way to discourage or embarrass the press out of asking questions. Naturally, it backfired with neverending probing about Tiger's game and health (AT&T must be thrilled!) and more importantly, reveals a hostility that no corporation seeking a pitchman wants any part of. Nor would such negative injury be a recipe to healing injuries and playing good golf.

McLaughlin, he of the bloated six figure Foundation salary, not surprisingly was pleased that Tiger announced he would be donating another $1 million to the Foundation.  But you do have to wonder what Team Tiger thinks there is to be gained with the jabs and taunting.

Nothing of course, but apparently their inexplicable rage toward the media needs an outlet somewhere.

Anyway, onto the news of today. Bob Harig on the primary revelations about Tiger's upcoming schedule:

Although Woods did not officially rule out playing next week's Memorial Tournament, his comments suggested he would not be able to play Jack Nicklaus' annual event in Ohio. He also admitted that he "probably" returned to golf too soon by trying to compete at the Players.

"I'll start probably by the end of next week some strength training ... and try to get in golf shape again," Woods said.

An unbylined AP report, presumably from Doug Ferguson:

That means Woods would go to the U.S. Open with little competition, although this is nothing new for him. In 2008, he had arthroscopic surgery after the Masters and didn’t play again until the U.S. Open. Doctors discovered a double stress fracture in his left tibia in the weeks before the major. Going against his doctor’s advice, Woods not only played the U.S. Open, he won it at Torrey Pines in a 19-hole playoff.

Now, he says his left leg is not nearly as bad as it was then. His golf, however, is a different story.

In the 11 tournaments Woods played before the U.S. Open, he won eight times, was runner-up twice and didn’t finish out of the top five. In the 11 tournaments before this U.S. Open, he has only five finishes in the top 10.

Woods said he was more worried about his health in 2008.

“I’m a lot better off,” Woods said. “I feel that in the next week or so, I can start getting back toward that and start practicing pain free. That’s where I’m at.

Jim McCabe also is having a hard time seeing the parallels to 2008.

That is where the proverbial fork in the road shows up. On the one hand, people will say Woods has been this way before, in 2008 when he played just 22 rounds and five tournaments through the Masters, took two months off, and won the U.S. Open. So no big deal about the five tournaments and 17 rounds played through this year’s Masters.

But if you choose to take the road in the other direction, there is this reality: The state of his current golf game can’t compare to what it was in 2008. Three years ago when Woods was hobbling around on that left leg, he teed it up just five times, won three, and had $4,425,000 in prize money. His 2011 season, thus far, is pretty much a shell of what we’ve come to expect of him: six starts, 17 1/2 rounds, no wins, just two top 10s and a mere $571,563.

Asked to explain his golf woes, Woods said: “I love to practice. I love to prepare. I haven’t been able to do that.”

Soon, he will. “I’ll start the end of next week. I’ll begin spring training and get in golf shape,” Woods said.

Steve Elling thinks any golf at this point will be a victory.

Woods noted that he used to jog 6 miles sometimes before competitive rounds, and nowadays, his knee "has atrophied" because of a lack of exercise. He hopes to resume strength training by the end of next week, by which time the Memorial will have started, so you can pretty clearly see where he is, and isn't, headed. The Nicklaus event in Columbus, Ohio, being in the latter category.

As numerous surgeons who haven't worked with Woods have noted in broad generalities offered from afar, with a knee that's had that much trauma, there's no such thing as a minor injury. Woods admitted as much, but thinks it's nothing he can't handle.

"As far as the future of it, I've had four surgeries on it, so obviously it's not what it was when I was little and I'm sure down the road it may be a little more difficult," he said. "But hopefully I'll be in a cart by then on the senior tour.

"Between now and then it should be pretty good."

At this point, pretty or good would be a huge step forward.