Tiger Roundup: Protocols, Playing For The Foundation

Farrell Evans on Tiger's surprising admission that he's playing this week in part because of his foundation.

"If this wasn't the foundation and our impact that we can have with kids, I probably would not have played," Woods said. "Our goal was the British Open."

Woods, who was unable to play in the Masters and the U.S. Open, said he doesn't feel like he's rushing his return after a surgery that many believed might costs him the remainder of the golf season, including the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and the PGA Championship.

"I healed extremely fast, thanks to my physios and all my nutrition and all the different things that we did and the protocols, and the MRIs and all the different steps that we have done along the way have allowed me to get to this point," he said.

Steve DiMeglio and Reid Cherner sum up Tiger's press conference where he made some surprising admissions (watching more World Cup than golf!) and also about his rehabilitation effort.

"When you get treatment all the time, it's amazing what you can do. And also, nutritionally, making sure I eat perfect. Anti-inflammatory meals, all the different things I needed to do to get back. People take -- it's a normality in other sports. If you play football or hockey or any other sport, this is just common. But I think in the golfing world, looking at most of the physiques, it's not really that common. But having friends who are in other sports, it does help what they went through and what they have done and what their protocols are for their teams. You know, here we are."

Nick Masuda on the progression of Tiger's return to golf.

In terms of the state of his game, Woods revealed that he started hitting his driver "a couple of weeks ago." He has taken in rounds on the course, with the toughest part coming from sitting in the carts, finding himself standing on the back of the cart so he could extend his rounds.

"(I wanted) to knock off the rust on the range, not embarass myself on the golf course," said Woods.

Luke Kerr-Dineen on Nick Faldo suggesting a made cut this week would be a victory.

"I think for the rest of us mere mortals coming off back surgery, just making the cut would be a good goal," said the six-time major champion, speaking at an event for Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky in New York City on Monday. "That's what I'd be focusing on: making the cut this week and trying to improve on that every week after."

Morning Drive coverage of the press conference including all of Tiger’s remarks.