GOLF ASIA 43Just days after telling the world he could
“definitely” envisage never playing
professional golf again, Tiger Woods
announces that he’s been cleared to make a
full return to the game and will play again! In
full-on Tiger tease mode, he first releases
footage of him hitting “smooth” irons. Then
tweets a 10-second video of him hitting driver
while dressed in his Sunday red – and by
almost all accounts, hitting it well. Finally, just
days after pleading guilty to reckless driving
and entering a ‘diversion’ programme after
May’s DUI arrest, he announces that he will
make his competitive return in the Hero World
Challenge between November 30 and
December 3. As long as his back holds out
between now and then. The bookmakers list
Tiger as a 50-to-1 underdog, with the odds on
him withdrawing just 7/2. Because, well,
we’ve been here before.“I’m not going to change anything. I’m still not going to work out. I’m still gonna
have a bad diet and I’m going to enjoy myself. I’m really not going to change”
Pat Perez wins the CIMB Classic, aged 41, and bucks the trendO C T
To the surprise of nobody, Justin
Thomas is rightly and officially named
PGA Tour Player of the Year – a year in
which he wins five times, including his
first major. Justin Rose wins his eighth
PGA Tour title, despite going into
the final round 10 shots
behind leader Dustin
Johnson. Paul Dunne
holds off the no longer
injured Rory McIlroy to win
the British Masters, despite
McIlroy finishing 64-63 toconfirm that this year was really not his
year. Brendan Steele wins the PGA
Tour’s Safeway Open for the second
consecutive year, at the same time as
Tyrrell Hatton is winning the Alfred
Dunhill Links for the second year
running. Tommy Fleetwood and Ross
Fisher didn’t win the Alfred Dunhill,
but with a 63 at Carnoustie and a
61 at the Old Course, they
smashed those course records. In
the month’s sorriest tale, PGA Tour
journeyman Matt Harmon is on thecusp of earning his PGA Tour card at
two under with two to play at the Web.
com Tour Championship, then misses
a three-footer for birdie, then three
putts for a bogey and snaps his putter
in two as his dream disintegrates. In
better news, Ian Woosnam finally
enters the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Sergio Garcia and TaylorMade
announce they are splitting up after 14
years. And Tea m U SA wins the
Presidents Cup, but then Team USA
always does. US$250,000The number of
dollars you
have to stump
up to play a
single round of
golf with Phil
Mickelson, as
part of a
foursome, with
the proceeds
going to
charity. It’s
steep, but, hey,
a nice lunch is
included.WINNERS
& LOSERS
GUESS WHO’S
BACK! (AGAIN)
wins his eighth
PGA Tour title, despite going intoinjured Rory McIlroy to win
the British Masters, despiteTyrrell Hatton is winning the Alfred
Dunhill Links for the second year
running.61 at the Old Course, they
smashed those course records. In
the month’s sorriest tale, PGA Tour
journeyman