Tiger Woods not getting carried away with win prospects

Tiger Woods is refusing to dwell on the prospect of winning his first PGA Tour title in four-and-a-half years this weekend, despite an impressive second round performance at the Valspar Championship

Making just his fourth PGA Tour start of the year, after spending the majority of 2017 injured on the sidelines, Woods finds himself just two shots off Canadian Corey Conners’ lead after 36 holes at Innisbrook.

A win this weekend would be the former world No.1’s first since the 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. However, he’s not looking that far ahead.

“Got a long way to go, 36 holes,” said the 42-year-old after his second round 68. “The wind is going to be totally different, conditions are going to be different, come close to coming out of the south this weekend. Ball be flying a little bit further. Be a completely different test than what we had last couple days.”

Woods has picked up at Innisbrook where he left off in the Honda Classic a fortnight ago. The 14-time major winner finished in a tie for 12th at PGA National, having missed the cut at Riviera a week earlier.

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“I thought I had a shot at Honda with a few holes to go, but instead of making birdies coming, I made some mistakes,” he added. “But to play myself into contention this early into the tournament this week was nice.”

Woods saw his long-time rival Phil Mickelson end his own winless drought at last week’s WGC-Mexico Championship but insists that has no bearing on his thinking as he goes into this weekend with a legitimate shot at victory.

“I’m not looking at it like that,” said Woods. “He’s been playing the last four, five years. I haven’t. So, that’s two totally different scenarios. He’s been there with a bunch of chances to win and played really well, whereas I’m just starting again.”

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