"If Woods is considering entering the Arnold Palmer Invitational before its deadline on Friday week then he should also be considering the flak he would receive. And he would be wise to line up a few more apologies."

James Corrigan is the first to take a hard look at the question of how the Tiger Woods of a couple weeks ago could go from announing he didn't know when he'd return to golf and not ruling out this year, to being on the cusp of a return at Tavistock or Bay Hill, or both.

Tiger should also apologise to his fellow players. Regardless of the timing of his reintroduction to their ranks, his fellow pros already have ample reason to be angry. When Ernie Els came out and called Woods "selfish" for taking over the airwaves on the third day of the Accenture Match Play, he was instructed by Woods's agent, Mark Steinberg, "to get your information right before commenting". The players were then informed Woods had no choice but to address the globe that particular morning as he was rechecking into rehab the next day. By and large the players accepted that explanation. The patient would be back under lock and key awhile.

It turned out that "awhile" lasted barely a week. Woods was back at his Orlando home the following Saturday. Question: why couldn't he wait until, say, last Monday to speak? What difference would it have made? Never mind whether it deflected any attention from the Match Play, it undeniably had the potential to distract the players in Tucson. Before they went out for their Friday matches the pros were badgered for their opinions on Tiger's "performance". It was the last thing they needed.