DORAL, Fla. — Tiger Woods feels whole again.
A year ago at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, Woods was forced to withdraw from the tournament with an Achilles injury.
A year later, as the tournament begins today at the Doral Resort and Spa, Woods said his Achilles and knee are 100 percent and he sounded like a player ready to add to his Torrey Pines victory from earlier this year.
“I’m actually able to do everything,’’ Woods said yesterday after playing a nine-hole practice round. “I don’t have to worry about my Achilles or my knee anymore. I can now actually train instead of rehab. I’ve made some pretty significant gains in my strength and it feels nice to be able to train and not go out there and do the little bitty knick-knack rehab things.
“That’s one reason why I’m hitting it farther. I have my legs underneath me and that’s where our power is.”
* After Rory McIlroy’s sudden mid-round withdrawal last week at the Honda Classic, there was speculation in the British press that his actions were related to something having gone wrong in his relationship with his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
McIlroy, however, denied that.
“I’ve read what’s been written, and just because I have a bad day on the golf course and Caroline loses a match in Malaysia it doesn’t mean that we’re breaking up,’’ McIlroy said. “It’s sport. Look, I’d rather keep my private life as private as possible, but everything on that front is great and I’m looking forward to seeing her next week when she gets to Miami.’’