Golf:Tiger Woods has revealed that the fun has returned to his game as he continues his comeback following five months on the sidelines. Woods admitted before the season's first major that the enjoyment had gone from his work as he became engulfed by his personal problems.
However, finishing joint fourth at Augusta has helped him to rediscover his love for golf.
And Woods, who returns to action for the first time since the US Masters at the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte this week, said: “It’s been more fun, no doubt. I have had a lot of struggles internally for a while now and that’s one of the reasons why it wasn’t that much fun.
“The game is now where it used to be and where it should be. It should be fun. It is a game. Even though I do it for a living, it’s still a game and it wasn’t that for a while.”
Woods’ return after lurid details of his private life became public knowledge has sparked fears of abuse from spectators, despite a generally positive response to date. However, while he does not expect to be a target this week, Woods has vowed to handle it if it comes his way.
He added: “Whether they do or not, it’s happened before, and happened before any of this ever happened. I have dealt with that before. But as far as the fans here over the years, they have been great and there is no reason why that shouldn’t continue.”
Much of the world number one’s focus in recent weeks has been on attempting to return to some kind of normality, and while that may be happening on the golf course, he admits it is far from the case off it.
Woods added: “There are paparazzi everywhere and at home, helicopters here and there and people driving by and paparazzi camping out in front of the gates still.
“That hasn’t changed.”
In the meantime, Woods will simply concentrate on the task of rediscovering his best form, and working on a swing which at times looked decidedly rusty at Augusta. That said, he is happier now with his performance than he was coming off the course.
He said: “Immediately after the event they asked me how did I feel about it and I wasn’t very happy; I lost. But, given a little time to reflect on it, it was an incredible week.
“It went as well as it could have possibly gone. Obviously, I didn’t do what I needed to do at the weekend, but overall, after not playing for that long and coming back and finishing fourth, that’s pretty reasonable.”
Phil Mickelson ultimately collected the famous green jacket and he too returns to action at Charlotte admitting his success was the most special of his career to date.
Mickelson’s wife Amy and mother Mary are both currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, and having his family with him as he claimed the prize meant a great deal.
The left-hander said: “Amy and I were talking this last couple of weeks about how glad we were that she was there, that the kids were there, that we could look back on it.
“To have that together given what the past year has brought, it has just made it probably the most special tournament win that I have had.”
However, the victory has also increased Mickelson’s desire for success, and he is now targeting the US Open at Pebble Beach in June as his main priority.
He said: “I have finished second in the US Open five times, it’s a tournament that’s my national open and growing up here, that’s a special event for me.”