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Pro Golf NewsOnce the “man of steel” onthe golf course, TigerWoods is admitting that hisreturn to competitive PGA Golf at theMasters in April is a little unnerving.Woods last played competitive golf atthe JB Were Australian Masters, a tournamenthe won in November for his82nd victory worldwide. He last playedon the PGA Tour in the Tour Championshipin September, where he finishedsecond.Tiger Returns! Compiled by Sam Smith"I'm a little nervous about this, to behonest with you," Woods said. "It would benice to hear a couple claps here and there."The Masters, a tournament he haswon four times, should be the perfectplace for his return. A tightly controlledenvironment awaits Woods at AugustaNational where tournament organizerslimit the number of credentialed mediaand galleries traditionally are among thebest-behaved in sports.As for the reactions of fellow playersto Tiger’s return, South AfricanRetief Goosen has been one of the mostout-spoken about Woods reception in thelocker room and on the course."I think the guys will look at himthe same way as ever. What happenedwas something that happened off the golfcourse, not on the golf course,” told reporterscovering the PGA Tour. "If itwas a cheating situation on the golfcourse or something like that, the playerswould look at you different. But it's apersonal thing and it had no effect reallyon the golf besides TV ratings," he explained."If he's mentally right and readyto play, then it shouldn't be too much ofa problem.Jim Furyk, who recently won theTransition Championship in Florida, isboth a friend and rival of Woods feel all thelead-up to his return is just "part of that naturalprogression before he comes back.”“I think it's good for him to get hisface out there and have people see him.At Augusta the fans are going to maketheir judgments," he added, "but I thinkit allows him to kind of move on and getfocused for the next thing."Tiger Woods' planned return to golfat the Masters has drawn mixed reviewsfrom the international press with themost scathing comments came fromGreat Britain. Where Daily Mirrorcolumnist Oliver Holt questioned thetop-ranked golfer's reasons for comingback to play at Augusta National."How typical of the man to hijackthe world's most famous golf tournament,"Holt wrote. "How could he turnAugusta into a circus like this? Does hisvanity know no limits?"In Sweden, the country of wife ElinNordegren's birth, Aftonbladet columnistLasse Anrell wrote that Woods was in theclear to play golf again after "four monthsof mourning, four months of apologies,four months of crying, four months ofhealing ..." But Anrell added that Woodsneeds to make a strong showing at theMasters to regain his status."He knows -- just as well as all themedia strategists and brand analysts --that he needs to win for this to be a reallygood resurrection of Tiger Woods - TheBrand," Anrell wrote. "A 27th place willnot be a hit for the brand strategists. Itneeds to be top 3."John Hopkins, the golf correspondentfor the London Times, said Woods'return will eclipse anything seen beforeat Augusta."And although President Eisenhowerwas a regular and President Clintonalso played there, both requiringextra protection, the security whenWoods makes his reappearance will beenormous," Hopkins wrote.Not everyone attacked the American,however. French sports daily L'Equipehad only a small news story aboutWoods' return, while Italian paper LaGazzetta Dello Sport featured a full pageon the announcement, saying the Masterswas the natural place for him tocome back."Apparently the expected onslaughtof the media, curiosity seekers and fanshas convinced (Woods) to return at themost important and most protectedvenue and for him the most familiar,skipping any warm-up tournaments,"Gazzetta wrote. "Even if this increasesthe risks, especially for someone who isused to winning all the time."Woods has won 14 majors in his career,including four at the Masters. Thisyear's tournament however, may godown as one of the most remembered,not for the winner, but for the competitors.And on that matter, we let the Irishmanhave the last word.2 - CAROLINA GOLF JOURNAL - SPRING 2010_______________________________________________________________________________