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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS

November 4, 2010

Tiger Woods

SHANGHAI, CHINA

First Round 68 (-4)

DOUG MILNE: We'll go ahead and get started. We would like to welcome Tiger Woods into the press room here after a successful 4-under at the World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions, round one.
Tiger, start us off with a couple of comments as you feel about your play and as we move forward to tomorrow.
TIGER WOODS: I played well today. I bogeyed my first hole, the 10th hole. Made a nice par at 15. And then from there, I got it rolling a little bit, which was nice. I think the key to the round there was 15, that save, and I was able to kind of build some momentum from there.

Q. How are you feeling?
TIGER WOODS: Feel good. Yeah, I feel good.

Q. Was it good to be out there today, especially after the first hole; did you kind of get into your groove? Did you feel your confidence?
TIGER WOODS: Actually, the tee shot I hit there at 10 wasn't that bad, lying in the fairway, and then had no second shot. It is what it is. Had a putt at par. Missed it.
But as I said, the key was 15, getting a good break there and then made a pretty good save there.

Q. What was the hardest part about your shot on 15?
TIGER WOODS: There was three little kind of I guess sprouting trees there. And I had a lie in which I had to actually miss it, so that means I had to start the ball left of the left bunker, and then cut it all the way around.
You know, it came out great. I flushed it and I had a shot, my little pitch shot. Hit a good pitch.

Q. This is probably the longest layoff you've had from competition since you came back, about four weeks?
TIGER WOODS: (Nodding in agreement.)
Q. Pleased at all about being able to put together a decent round after basically a month away?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it felt good today. The things that I've been working on with Sean, it felt good today. I hit a lot of good golf shots.
I felt like I was able to control my distance well coming into the greens, and also putted really well today. Had good speed.

Q. Well, you've been playing here for a couple of times, and the golf course has made some changes this year. On the 12th green, they made changes, and also on the toughest hole before people consider is the 15th hole. What do you think about the 15th hole and the alteration on the 12th?
TIGER WOODS: Well, they added actually four tees out there, as well. Added a new tee at 9, 11, 14 and 17. So there were a couple of adjustments.
I got a good look yesterday in the Pro-Am. 15 is a much more difficult hole now, no doubt. Sometimes we were able to hit 3-wood down there. Now with the added length, you have to hit driver. There's a lot more room left than you think, so you've got to be committed to that.

Q. Well, Chinese fans, people love you playing in China. How do you think Chinese fans this year are, any improvement; any interference to your game today?
TIGER WOODS: I think the fans have certainly become a lot more knowledgeable over the years. It's been pretty cool to see I guess the maturation of the fans and their knowledge of the game.
And it's always fun playing here. People are great. They are very warm, very receptive. Today was no different.

Q. Everyone with all of the hype is saying this is the most competitive tournament for a long time since your coming back and you are not No. 1; are you feeling that weight in any way, and is there part of your game plan where you're trying to keep your intentions known to get back to the No. 1 spot?
TIGER WOODS: No, actually the whole idea is to win golf tournaments. That's why we enter them. I got to No. 1 in the world by winning golf tournaments, and I've had that sustainability for a number of years by doing that. That's how you have to do it. Unfortunately I haven't done it this year. So hence, I've dropped down to No. 2.
The whole idea is to win golf tournaments, and this is no different. The reason why we tee it up is to win.

Q. Just wanted to clarify 15. You had to miss-hit it because those little sprigs were in front?
TIGER WOODS: No, I had to miss those little sprigs. If they weren't there, then I had almost a direct line to the hole.

Q. I see. In other words you had to play the bender?
TIGER WOODS: Correct.

Q. What was your most pleasing birdie today, and why?
TIGER WOODS: Most pleasing birdie, probably actually No. 2. That 5-wood I hit in there was pretty sweet (smiling).
It was a high, drawing 5-wood that landed right on the number and rolled up there pin-high, even though I missed the putt. But that was a sweet shot.

Q. Yardage?
TIGER WOODS: I had 247 hole.
DOUG MILNE: Tiger, thank you for your time. We appreciate it as always.

End of FastScripts

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