World number one Tiger Woods returns to the Funai Classic after skipping the event last year, but Hurricane Wilma could wreak havoc at the star-studded event that starts on Thursday.
Woods won the tournament in 1996 and followed it up with an encore in 1999.
He arrives at the tournament having won two of his past three starts. In his past nine starts, only once has he finished outside the top four.
Fiji’s Vijay Singh, ranked second in the world, is also in the field, as is world number four Retief Goosen of South Africa.
But weather could prove a disrupting force. Although the course is probably far enough inland to escape major damage, rain from approaching Hurricane Wilma could threaten Sunday’s final round.
This is a home game for Woods, who lives barely 20 minutes away in exclusive Isleworth.
But it probably won’t be next year because he has confirmed one of golf’s worst-kept secrets — that he is planning to move from the Orlando area in the not-too-distant future.
”I’m looking at places on both [Florida] coasts,” he said. ”I was born next to the ocean and I’d like to live next to the ocean.”
As he prepared for the $4,4-million event, Woods was asked about the disqualification of teen phenomenon Michelle Wie in her pro debut last weekend at the LPGA’s Samsung World Championship.
Woods was less than thrilled about the sequence of events in which a media member told officials the Wie may have taken an illegal drop from a bush.
”I’ve never been a big fan of that,” Woods said. ”It’s not equitable for the entire tour [because some players command greater attention], but you have to understand that, accept it.
”Michelle is under scrutiny, like the top players out here. We’re going to have more camera time, so things like that can happen.”
The biggest problem Woods had was that the media member reported the infraction a day after it happened, which meant Wie was disqualified for signing an incorrect score card.
Had the breach come to light during the third round, she would have suffered only a two-stroke penalty.
Singh, who won the Funai Classic two years ago and tied for second last year, said he is looking forward to the week.
”The course is in great shape, the greens are great,” he said. ”I think it’s going to be a great tournament.”
Goosen, who was unbeaten at last month’s Presidents Cup match-play competition, returns after missing the World Golf Championships event in San Francisco two weeks ago with a groin injury. — Sapa-AFP