Tiger focused on golf as Open approaches

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Tiger Woods is feeling better about controlling the trajectory of his shots. "My traj," he calls it. As for the arc on which his life is heading, don't ask. He's not saying. He clearly is feeling comfortable now about controlling the conversation.

Woods was asked one question at his pre-U.S. Open news conference Tuesday about whether he has had any resolution "one way or another" with his wife, Elin. He quickly replied, "That's none of your business."

That was the last inquiry into his personal life, marital situation or aftermath of the scandal that rocked him late last year. For Woods at the Open this week, it is all about the golf. That is partly by his choice and partly because his golf is compelling - he has not played well, he is coming off a neck injury and, most important, is returning to the site at which he won with a record 15-stroke margin 10 years ago.

"It's great to be back. I haven't been here in I believe about eight years, so it's great to be back," he said during a question-and-answer session that wasn't apologetic and reflective as his pre-Masters news conference was.

Only obliquely did he refer to the scandal. He spoke of how his game now is at the point at which other pros find their games in January. "I'm starting to find out how much I can and can't push myself each and every day, as far as practice," he said. "I overdid it, I overcooked it right before Augusta, trying to get ready. And certainly, I learned my lesson there."

Woods is the talk of this Open, not for the same reason he was the talk of Augusta, when he ended his self-imposed exile. This time, the discussion is about his 2000 Open, which has been called the greatest major any golfer ever has had.

"That was really a wake-up call for a lot of guys," said Ernie Els, who was tied for a distant second back then and will play with Woods Thursday and Friday. "A lot of guys started changing their game a lot and a lot of guys took their physical fitness to another level. And 10 years later, here we are. I think it's really brought the game a long way, from that tournament."

Woods did say that his neck, which caused him to withdraw during the final round of the Players Championship last month, is not as healthy as he would like but it is not bothering him as much as it was. He also said his ball flight, or "traj," is getting better, allowing him to hit the ball where he wants it to go.

He seemed in good spirits as he played 12 ½ holes in a practice round with Arjun Atwal, the former Clarke High and Nassau Community College star and a practice partner at home at Isleworth.

But he also acknowledged today's tabloid reality. He was asked about the fuss created when he and swing coach Hank Haney parted ways.

"Well," Woods said, "there's a lot of guys out here who don't have swing coaches. Some guys bounce around from coach to coach, week to week. Other guys don't ever use one. But for some reason, people are very curious about my life."