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Posted at 6:37 a.m., Thursday, January 24, 2008

Golf: Woods makes '08 debut at Buick Invitational

By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer

SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods had already hit a 3-wood toward the sixth green when his caddie began taking measured steps in the right rough as if looking for a lost ball. Instead he was searching for a sprinkler that used to be easy to find.

"It was in the fairway last year," Steve Williams said.

That was one sign that the fairways already are becoming more narrow on the South Course at Torrey Pines. And when Woods, Phil Mickelson and the world's best return in four months, those fairways might resemble bowling alleys.

The Buick Invitational begins today, the '08 debut for Woods and Mickelson.

In the back of their minds is the U.S. Open, which comes to this public course on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

The course might not look the same, except for the routing of the holes, the refurbished lodge, and the unending views of the ocean. The U.S. Open already has built two new tees, on the par-5 13th and par-3 16th, that will not be used this week. The greens figure to be much firmer and faster. The splotchy rough will be uniformly thick.

Woods won the Buick Invitational last year at 15-under 273.

Chances are, no one will be under par in June.

"I actually think that if the conditions stayed the same at Torrey Pines as any other golf course, I think Torrey Pines is the hardest golf course in the country," Mickelson said. "Because it's 7,600 yards at sea level, with no bailout on any hole, bunkers are left and right, pins are tucked and there's no letup."

The Buick Invitational was expecting a stronger field than it got because of the U.S. Open.

Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott were among those who chose not to return this year, instead playing the Qatar Masters in the Middle East. Henrik Stenson got in his practice round last month, signing up as a twosome and getting paired with a couple that only recently learned how to play.

The result was 11 of the top 30 in the world, while 10 of the top 30 are on the European Tour this week.

Whether that matters is up for debate.

Some believe the more you see a golf course, the more comfortable you get with the intricacies. Then again, the Torrey Pines played this week for a regular PGA Tour event might not resemble the course used in the U.S. Open.

"They'll miss out on some of the nuances of the course that they might have seen had they played," Mickelson said. "But they'll have to make up for that. They'll come out early before the U.S. Open and get a number of practice rounds so that they find out or know what to expect on the greens."

Woods figures he has seen just about every condition.

He is the three-time defending champion at the Buick Invitational, and he has won five times in his PGA Tour career. That doesn't include the one year he captured the Junior World title.

"I played when it was burned out, bone dry, fog delays," he said. "I was telling Hank (Haney) today, we were yelling out on the first tee, "All clear on the No. 1 fairway,' that kind of thing and keep playing. I've seen what can happen here that time of year, and I do feel comfortable on this golf course. It's a matter of having my game show up at the right time. You've got to make sure it peaks at that time."

Woods would like it to peak in April, July and August, too.

He brought attention to his game earlier this month by saying the Grand Slam was "easily within reason," which should not be mistaken for easily accomplished. Even a guy with 13 majors realizes there's always a few breaks that come with winning the biggest events.

But he is confident about his game, having won four of his last five events on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship.

"For most of my career, I've won more than four tournaments per year, and all I have to do is win the right four," Woods said. "And I've done those a few times. I think if you put it all together, have luck on your sides, all the stars will line up, and it certainly is possible."

For now, there is the Buick Invitational.

A victory for Woods would mean a couple of things. It would be his fourth straight victory, which would make him the first player to compile such a streak at two PGA Tour stops (the other was Bay Hill). And it would tie him with Arnold Palmer with 62 career victories, fourth on the all-time list behind Sam Snead (82), Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan.

Either way, it will return the focus to golf.

The PGA Tour has been consumed in recent weeks by the suspension of a Golf Channel anchor for jokingly suggesting that young players "lynch" Woods in a back alley, the firing of a magazine editor for putting a noose on the cover, anti-doping meetings and even a new cut policy that has left some players steaming.

Woods was asked if he felt he should have been more outspoken on such a social issue, and he responded by mentioning his work with children at the Tiger Woods Learning Center and other education programs through his foundation.

"I know there are people who want me to be a champion of all causes, and I just can't do that," Woods said.

What he does best is play golf, and Torrey Pines has been a personal playground of late. Woods gets two cracks at this year, starting with the Buick Invitational.