Tiger Woods working with Hank Haney as comeback looms

Tiger Woods's long-awaited comeback appears to have moved a step close after it emerged the world No1 is back working with his swing coach, Hank Haney.

Reports in the United States suggest that Haney, who has coached Woods for seven years, arrived in Florida on Sunday and has spent the past few days working with the disgraced golfer at Isleworth, the private country club near Orlando.

Mark O'Meara, one of Woods's closest friends during his 14 years on Tour, added further weight to the reports today when he said he “would not be surprised” if the world No1 decides to play on his team at the Tavistock Cup in 12 days time.

O'Meara is captain of the Isleworth side in the two-day exhibition match which takes place on the same gated-community complex as Woods' Florida home. “I would not be surprised if Tiger plays,” O'Meara said. “Hank [Haney, his coach] has come to town and they're working on stuff they normally work on. I know it's been a rough road these last three months for him and his family, but golf is what Tiger does. The Tavistock Cup might be a right fit to come back. Play that event and then, maybe, Bay Hill straight afterwards.”

Charles Howell and J.B. Holmes backed up O'Meara's claims after admitting they had seen Woods practicing at Isleworth. And O'Meara, who introduced Haney to Woods, believes his friend has ample time to find his best form before the Tavistock Cup and then later that week the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.“It wouldn't take them too long,” said O'Meara. “I would imagine a few weeks Tiger would be good to go.”

Woods, 34, has won 14 major titles, four shy of the all-time record set by Jack Nicklaus, and this year's first three majors will be played on courses where Woods has taken record-setting triumphs. Woods could play at Augusta National, where he has won the Masters four times, and then the US Open at Pebble Beach, where he captured the 2000 US Open by 15 strokes, followed by a British Open at St. Andrews, where he won the event in 2000 and 2005.

Source:The Times