"It sure seems like a long time since Woods stood over an important putt and there was no doubt it was going in."

Doug Ferguson considers Tiger's 79 at Torrey Pines and largely sums it up to chance and winter rust, though he does note that Woods is usually not one to show up rusty.

I am taking the view in Golf World this week that the current iteration of Tiger the golfer is going to be pacing himself much more going forward, with the majors taking more priority than ever. Though it would be nice if he ironed out his wedge game, which was the only really bad looking part of his game at Torrey. The rest seemed, as Tiger has said, a fraction off.

Anyway, Ferguson writes:

Woods had never finished out of the top 10 in his first tournament of the year through 2008, including six wins on three courses (La Costa, Kapalua, Torrey Pines). In the six season-openers since then, he has no wins, two top 10s and three times didn’t make it to Sunday.

How much work did Woods put into his game in the 45 days between his last round at Sherwood and his opening round at Torrey Pines? Woods is the only one who can say how he prepared, and after 18 years on tour, how much he felt like he needed (or wanted) to prepare.

Miller, however, wasn’t referring to Woods’ health when he wrote 10 years ago that he was an “old 28.” His hunch was that Woods’ prime had arrived early, and that “it won’t be long before the hole shrinks back to its regulation 4 1/4-inch size.”

It sure seems like a long time since Woods stood over an important putt and there was no doubt it was going in.

Woods met with the assembled bobbleheads in Dubai and said he took a day off, didn't change anything and is ready to go. Ewan Murray reports.

Woods tees it up with Rory McIlroy and Stephen Gallacher in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Brian Keogh previews the Tiger-Rory pairing (but don't ignore defending champ Gallacher, a super guy too).

Golf Channel times for the telecast from Dubai, all times Eastern:

Wednesday     10:30 p.m-Midnight (Live)
Thursday         Midnight-4 a.m. / 5:30-8:30 a.m. (Live) / 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday              1-8:30 a.m. (Live) / 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday          4-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay) / 6:30-10:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday            4-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay) / 6:30-10:30 p.m. (Replay)