Woods attempts to keep rolling

2008-03-12

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By Andrew BothPA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- Perhaps the Bay Hill greens can dowhat no player has been able to accomplish this year.

Tiger Woods, unbeaten in the past seven months, will put hisfive-event winning streak on the line at the Arnold PalmerInvitational starting Thursday.

Juding by Woods' comments about the greens, luck will likely bea significant factor this weekend.

"They are not very good," he said after Wednesday's Pro-Am. "Youare going to see a lot of guys hit good putts and they aregoing to go weird ways, unfortunately.

"But we've all got to deal with it, putt on them, and you justhave to accept hitting good putts and they may not go in. Idon't know if it makes a worse putter better or a better putterworse."

The greens have suffered due to a microscopic worm eating theroots of the grass, but even if luck plays role in the outcome,Woods remains the hot favorite on a course where he won fourconsecutive years from 2000-03, although his performances sincethen have been decidedly mediocre.

Woods has won seven of his past eight official starts worldwidesince last August, his only "failure" being a second place inMassachusetts in September.

He has played only twice on the PGA Tour this year, blowing awaythe field by eight strokes at the Buick Invitational andthrashing Stewart Cink 8 and 7 in the final at the WGC MatchPlay Championship.

He also won the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic by onestroke, the only close call he has had lately.

If anyone can push Woods this week, perhaps it is PhilMickelson, the only player to beat the world No. 1 since August.

Mickelson spent last week working with coach Butch Harmon, andseems excited about the state of his game.

"This is the best I've felt about my game that I can everremember, so I'm excited heading into the week and the stretchrun to Augusta," said the world No. 2, who claims to bephysically stronger than ever.

"I feel I can swing the club harder or faster if I want andstill have the support and balance of my lower body."

Not to be overlooked is defending champion Vijay Singh, the45-year-old who is determined to have one more great year yearbefore age invariably catches up with him. Bay Hill invariablyattracts one of the strongest fields of the year, but thisyear's lineup is missing more stars than usual, with only threeof the world's top 10 in action.

However, when those three include Woods and Mickelson (withworld No. 8 Jim Furyk also playing), it doesn't really matter.

John Daly was disqualified for missing his Wednesday Pro-Am,with Ryuji Imada and Nick O'Hern also falling foul of the PGATour's strict policy.

They were the first two alternates for the morning Pro-Am butwere not at the course and unable to take Daly's place.