But Woods, 31, heads into Thursday's opening round at the U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pa., with some lingering questions. He's coming off down-the-line finishes in his last two starts, at The Players Championship (tie for 37th) and the Memorial Tournament (T-15). He ranks 165th among tour players in driving accuracy (55.4 percent) and is headed to Oakmont Country Club, a venue where missed fairways are costly because it's difficult to land shots from the rough on the severely undulated greens.

At the 2006 U.S. Open, errant drives caused Woods to miss the cut—his lone early departure from a major championship since joining the PGA Tour. Woods' power game also figures to be muted at Oakmont, a par-70 course. Of Woods' 12 major titles, only one has come at a par-70 layout (the 2002 U.S. Open). He has converted just 1-of-15 major opportunities at par-70 courses in his professional career.

In addition, Woods has two significant firsts looming in July that have required his increased attention in recent weeks: the impending birth of his first child and his debut as host of a PGA Tour event, the AT&T National on July 5-8 at Congressional in Bethesda, Md.

Heading into Thursday's 2:06 a.m. (Hawaii time) tee time, Woods discussed the challenges of Oakmont, his thoughts on course setups by the U.S. Golf Association and the new life experiences on his horizon. All in his own words:

"I've got quite a few challenges. My time management skills are certainly being tested. Then again, these are all things that are very exciting: hosting your first tour event, playing the U.S. Open, and above all, having the birth of your first child. From that standpoint, I look forward each and every day to experiencing these things."

"A year ago at this time, my father had just passed ... and I just wasn't quite ready (when Woods played the 2006 Open). I wasn't able to get back into it with my practice sessions because every time I'd go practice, I'd always think about my fundamentals. And my father was the one who taught me my fundamentals. It was actually hard to get away from. ... But this year is totally different. From losing a father to becoming a father, my life is in two totally different places, a polar 180 degrees from one another."

"The USGA has always tried to get as close to that line ... between fair and unfair as possible (in course setups). They always try and ride that very fine line. I'm sure they will again."

"The (Oakmont) greens are nothing like I've ever seen before. They're totally different than Augusta. They're all pitched, so trying to putt these things with the right speed ... coming over so many different mounds and angles, that is going to be one great test. Plus, there aren't too many holes at Oakmont, where you have the ability to see the fairway and the green on the same hole. It's usually one or the other. You have a blind tee shot or a blind second shot. So, there's a lot of experience that goes into learning that golf course."

"It's going to be different toward the end of the year, with the FedEx Cup. It's going to be a lot of golf. I'm pacing myself already. ... I don't know how much I'm going to play after (the baby is born) or how much I'm going to play before that. That all depends on how (wife) Elin is feeling and the health of our child."

"I feel like I've progressed ... with consistency off the tees (during pre-Open preparations). I've been able to start placing the ball on the correct side of the fairways and give myself the angles I want into the greens."

"It's always been a dream of my father and I to one day host a PGA Tour event. ... I just wish he could be here to see it because he would have been so proud of what we're going to put on. That's taken quite a bit of my time. My intent is to play, especially because it's an inaugural event. Whether my wife has something to say about that, there's no doubt about that. Everyone understands our No. 1 priority in our lives is our child."