I'm going to spare you the answers (except to the Stevie question) and just list the questions to Tiger's dull press gathering Wednesday. Granted, it was 42 and raining outside and inside the cart barn were way too many TV types who have to introduce themselves and their affiliations before launching into a bland question. But as you will see, it was definitely not the media's finest moment (and I include myself, though I did have burn my question on something for a story I'm working on...excuses, excuses).

Q. You talked about being right on schedule. Do you have any preliminary idea of what that schedule might be?

Q. Considering the seriousness of the injury, how difficult has this rehabilitation process been for you?

Q. You hadn't expected to be able to hit shots until January, so the fact that you're hitting some shots now, are you a little bit further ahead --

Q. I've got to ask you about Stevie. Can you talk about any further reaction to it?
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, what ended up happening is I communicated with Phil, and we have discussed it. I talked to Stevie about it, and he feels bad, what happened. At this point it happened at all, and it's something that none of us really wanted to have happen, but it's over and done with and we put it to bed.

Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times asked, and no one followed up about the conversation with Phil. In fact, I'm going to go so far as to predict Tiger wanted to be asked more because today's session has not put the matter to rest. It will come up ad nauseum next time that a Tiger-Phil pairing lurks. Yes, the matter will come up anyway, but without some key questions asked and answered, the story will not die.

Besides, why ask those when you can ask this as a follow up...

Q. Welcome home. Did you not talk to the weather man before you came here?

Q. I was going to ask you about that. How strange is it to host the event but actually not play in it this year?

Q. You talked about having time with your daughter, and at the same time how difficult the rehab and the injury has been. In your time away from PGA events, did you gain a different perspective or view of the game that you could only get watching it?

Q. In the time you've had off, how much time have you spent thinking about or working on course design? Obviously you've had more time to do that than you would have were you playing. And in terms of the projects you've got going, do you have more on the table right now, and do you also envision coming up with any public access courses, as well?

Q. You said you haven't hit full shots with your entire bag yet. Could you talk about when did you hit your first full shot and how many have you hit?

Q. Do you have any pain or stiffness or scar tissue?

Q. I know retirement talk would be a long way off, but did this layoff make you feel like you enjoyed it so much that you could retire earlier?

Q. Is it your intention to try to play a couple events before the Masters, and if so, what kind of criteria are you going to need to get to to make that decision?

Q. If it came to that, would you make the Masters (indiscernible)?

Q. What have they told you about how you may or may not have to change your swing or how you attack the ball to prevent this from happening again, and how much is there a concern that the repetition that you have to do time and time and time again to practice and play and the stress you put on it that this is just going to be a recurring issue?

Q. I heard you're doing a lot of swimming. I was wondering if you could talk about that as a form of rehab maybe being different for you. Also you look leaner than at the Open. What are you down to and what are you trying to accomplish there?

Q. Is swimming a new thing for you?

Q. Having effectively defied doctors' orders to compete at Torrey Pines, would you describe yourself as an obedient but frustrated patient over the last six months?

Q. During your absence there was a search to see who would step forward, and there was a lot of focus at the end of the year on Anthony and Camilo and a little bit of Sergio. I wonder if you could just talk about that and if you're expecting that to be a challenge, given their age and whatnot?

Q. Did you vote for Paddy?

Q. Why?

Q. Is that all it comes down to?

Q. Do you think at the high frequency that you've been winning over the last several years, do you think your absence may have emboldened these guys by allowing them maybe more chances to win?

Q. Other athletes coming back from what you've had talk about fear, whether it's fear of not being the same, whether it's fear that the leg, they're going to feel it with the swing or a hit or a run. Can you talk about fear?

Q. You mentioned in the early weeks after the surgery that you were laid up in bed and couldn't move the leg. Can you talk about what that time was like, how you filled the days?

Q. Because of the pain, the excruciating pain that you had down at Torrey Pines, the length of the tournament, the difficult shots that you had to make, where do you rank that victory among all the rest that you have?

Q. Have you watched tape of The Open much maybe during your rehab or when you were laid up? And also, at any point did you marvel at what you were able to accomplish? Have you thought back and wondered how you actually did that?

Q. Are you aware of when you first injured your knee? And then looking back at the Open, you said you've seen some of the highlights. Are you more amazed now that you actually pulled it off?

Q. Long-term?

Q. The actual competition, how much have you missed that, and has that tempted you at all to want to come back sooner than maybe you should?

Q. If you can give us a little behind-the-curtain view, post-round each day how difficult was it going back to the hotel and trying to prepare for the next day? And were there doubts in your mind going forward each day about whether you would be able to do it?

Q. Having said that, you looked more comfortable on Monday than on Saturday and Sunday. Why was that?

Q. Two questions: As a member of the PGA TOUR you were eligible for drug testing even though you weren't playing. Did the TOUR ever come to your house?

Q. Were you expecting them at all?

Q. Secondly, there's been so much speculation since June about so many surgeries that you'll never be the same. Is there any doubt or any question that you'll be better than you were before?

Q. Are you preparing yourself emotionally if things don't go well the first couple of tournaments, if it's slower than you think?

Q. I was wondering about your thoughts on the economy and how that's going to impact the TOUR in the next few years and even your events, as well. Have you felt it at all?

Q. In 2010 the USGA is changing the rule for grooves. Is that going to affect what's in your bag now or how you play golf courses in the coming years?

Update on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 08:57 AM by Geoff

** I love Jim McCabe's no-nonsense approach, but this point just doesn't match with how things played out:

One can only hope, since it's a lot of blather about nothing, but don't be surprised if Woods is wrong on that count, too. We've discovered over the last couple of days that a lot of people direct far too much anger at inconsequential matters, even within the usually genteel world of professional golf. Williams's disdain for Mickelson came through loud and clear, and that's disappointing. Equally alarming is the anger that apparently is harbored by many golf writers toward Williams (he's a caddie, folks, not the show) and on both fronts there seem to be people who need to assess things and question whether their emotions are worth it.

If the writers were really angry, there would have been many more questions and it would have been more than just Lawrence Donegan pursuing the story. Most of the press sat this one out until Phil Mickelson issued a statement. Hardly seems like an angry over-reaction by folks just waiting to get back at a lowly looper.