Tiger Woods makes his 2019 debut here Thursday, having replaced the trepidation of a year ago with an eagerness to capture an eighth Farmers Insurance Open crown in California.
Woods got his first look at the Torrey Pines course on Tuesday when he played a nine-hole practice round in the company of Jordan Spieth.
It was a happy return to the clifftop course overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where he won the last of his 14 Majors at the US Open more than a decade ago.
"I haven't played on the Tour since September, so it's been a while and looking forward to getting started, looking forward to getting out there and playing," said Woods.
"This is a golf course property that I've always loved. Jordan asked me today as we were playing, he said, 'How long have you been coming down here?' I said, 'Well, 10 years longer than you've been alive,'" the 42-year-old quipped.
"I've been coming out here quite a bit. This is the first PGA Tour event that I ever attended with my dad when this was the old Andy Williams tournament.
"To have won on this property and had the success I've had, it's been a lot of fun and looking forward to getting out there this week."
- 'A moving target' -
=====================
"Playing seven out of nine weeks was quite a bit. Body held up better than I thought it would, even though I got pretty tired at the end. Overall, it held up pretty good."
"So whenever you put any weight on it, it made it worse. I haven't tank dived in years and to be able to do that again, to be able to get in the water and free dive, put the fins on and load the body up and drop down like that, that was something I truly missed. I love being in the water."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content