Woods: Avoiding elimination is new territory, says winning is focus

PARAMUS, N.J. -- The ease with which he once won golf tournaments has been lost in a flurry of wayward drives and disobedient putts.

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Tiger Woods' once-sterling reputation has taken a beating, too, after admissions of infidelity led to a long-rumored divorce officially announced on Monday.

Even with the turmoil in his personal life and travails on the golf course, the world's No. 1 golfer refuses to call 2010 a lost year.

"Every year you have to find the positives," Woods said. "Even though there are a lot of negatives I think that's actually a good thing because I learned a lot about myself and how I could become a better person."

The chastened Woods comes to Ridgewood Country Club this week with what some see as a chance to salvage his season. The proud man who won two of the first three FedExCups ranks No. 112 and is in danger of elimination this week.

Woods needs to work his way into the top 100 at the end of this first event in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup in order to advance to TPC Boston next week. Just four who ranked from 101-125 were able to do that a year ago -- and one of those, No. 124 Heath Slocum, won The Barclays.

"It's something I haven't been in this position before,'" acknowledged Woods, who has won at least once on the other three Playoff venues. "And I hadn't played consistently the entire year. ... So hopefully I can put it together this week so I can move forward."

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"Winning takes care of everything. So if I win this week, I'll get into next week."

-- Tiger Woods

Woods, who didn't play at Ridgewood in 2008, shot an even-par 71 in Wednesday's pro-am. He said his driver was more cooperative -- which is key on this tight, tree-lined A.W. Tillinghast track -- and he was "pleasantly surprised" by the way he played overall.

Twice in the last week in Orlando, Woods worked with the new "it" swing-guru, Sean Foley, who also coaches Sean O'Hair and Hunter Mahan. He stopped short of saying Foley would be the man to resurrect his swing, but he's clearly happy with the progression that started at the PGA Championship.

"I'm trying to get obviously my game in order," Woods said. "Work on some new things, working with Sean. And I'm trying to put that together and hopefully play well for the rest of the year. And as of right now I need to play well to make it to next week. So that's kind of the focus right now."

The tone of the interview on this damp, dreary Wednesday was more personal than many, given the timing of the divorce decree and the exclusive interview his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, granted People magazine for its upcoming edition. Woods said he wished Nordegren the "best in everything."

Woods was unusually candid about the toll on his golf game that came with the constant scrutiny of his personal life. He said there were many times when he found it difficult to concentrate on the course, particularly during the summer when the details of the divorce were being hammered out.

"Even as the tournaments are going I've been asked questions while we're playing and that's always difficult," Woods said. "And especially when I'm trying to work on a few things, trying to find shots in order to get around the golf course ...(it's hard) to have to talk about other things."

Woods said his decision to resume playing golf at the Masters after a 45-day stint in rehab had nothing to do with the divorce. Playing golf is "part of my job," Woods explained, saying he wouldn't second-guess he timing of his comeback.

"It's one of those things where it's a sad time, what we're going through right now," Woods said. "And as far as my game and practicing, that's been secondary. We're trying to get our kids situated to our new living conditions and how that's going to be. That's where our focus is going to be right now."

And once he gets out on the golf course Thursday in a rare 7:10 a.m. draw with Cameron Beckman and Troy Matteson there is only one goal. Woods is looking for his first win of what some will describe as a lost season unless he turns things around in the Playoffs.

"I think it's very simple," Woods said. "Winning takes care of everything. So if I win this week, I'll get into next week. ... As of right now, I'm only guaranteed one. So I need to play well to move forward."