Nick Faldo on Tigers Woods

During CBS' first golf tournament of the season, Jim Nantz asked Nick Faldo what Tiger Woods might expect upon his return to the links.

Faldo answered candidly, as usual. Here is a transcript sent by CBS:

Faldo: The most powerful thing Tiger had was his presence, wasn’t it? When he stood on that tee --we used that term “two up” –- he was way more than two up. You look at his lead into win ratio it was outrageous. He had that magnetism using the power from the crowd, from the television, to elevate his game and he must have felt so good that he had the game of golf literally in the palm of his hands. And with all of that, you’ve got to have great self-esteem for that all to happen. Now, when Tiger heads to his tee, wherever that is – maybe in 2010 – he’s going into a totally different environment now. He doesn’t know what to expect he doesn’t know how people are going to react. He knows how the media world has reacted to him. He knows how the business world has reacted to him. This is a man – he’s the number one gossip in the world and he’s a very sensitive man. He’s very sensitive to even just criticism. No, more than criticism, even just comments. I think this is going to play a very important factor for him because he now has to get back on the golf course and be comfortable with himself with so much going on. He needs to get back on the golf course. This is where his whole career has been created. I think the important thing is can he get out there? When can he get out there? He may have to change team Tiger a little bit to get out there. So for me, he has an awful lot to get through. But the priority as a golfer, chasing Jack Nicklaus’ record, is to get back out there as soon as he can so he can get comfortable in this environment. And then can he have the same self-esteem as before?