Tiger Woods says he'll be ready for U.S. Open
GOLF / THE SPIN
Woods says he hasn't played a full 18 holes yet as he continues his rehabilitation from April knee surgery, but he expects to be close to 100% when the tournament begins next week at Torrey Pines.
Even if next week weren't the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods says he would still be ready to play, even if he's still not 100% healthy.
"I feel like I'm getting there," he said today. "Hopefully it'll be close to 100%. If not, no big deal."
Woods said he hasn't played a full 18 holes yet as he continues his rehabilitation program after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee April 15.
He spoke for about 30 minutes in a conference call regarding the 90th PGA Championship, which will be played Aug. 7-10 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Woods left no doubt he will be ready for the U.S. Open next week at Torrey Pines. He said he's going to increase his workload this week.
"Everything has been holding up well," he said. "It's a matter now of getting the feel again. Hopefully it will all come together next Thursday.
"I'm just making sure my endurance is up before the U.S. Open."
His aim during his rehabilitation now is to try to mimic the competitive flow of a round and to grow accustomed to the rhythm of a round. Woods also said he needed the surgery to correct cartilage damage in April because his troublesome left knee was becoming progressively worse.
"It kept degrading. It wasn't showing any signs of getting better," he said.
Woods is a six-time winner of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, but he expects the course to play much differently in June than in January when the Buick is scheduled. He said the fairways probably will be firm and fast and expects the ball to run out on the fairways.
"It'll be interesting to see the speed," he said.
Admirable Perry
Neither Kenny Perry's victory at the Memorial at 47 nor the $1.08 million he earned were the most impressive numbers he put up -- it's the fact he now ranks fifth in Ryder Cup points.
Perry has played only one previous Ryder Cup and lost both his matches in 2004, but with the next competition coming up in September at Valhalla Golf Club, that means Perry has a chance to revisit one of the most vexing venues in his career.
In the 1996 PGA Championship at Valhalla, Perry shot a final-round 68, but lost to Mark Brooks on the first hole of a playoff. Perry was famously criticized for watching from the TV booth instead of keeping fresh on the practice tee as Brooks finished his round and tied him to force a playoff.
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