What a difference a year makes for Tiger

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has extra incentive to flourish at this week's British Open after missing last year's championship at Royal Birkdale while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

Twelve months ago the world number one was confined to his home in Orlando, Florida and experienced intense pain as he watched television coverage of Irishman Padraig Harrington's successful title defense.

"My day consisted of trying to get from the bed to the couch and then from there back to the bed," three-times British Open champion Woods told reporters on Tuesday.

"That was my day. I was going through probably some of the worst pain at the time. Just basically the two-and-a-half week mark and I was in pretty good pain."

Woods had knee surgery after clinching his 14th major title in a playoff for last year's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and was then sidelined from the game for eight months.

He returned to the PGA Tour for the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in late February and has since triumphed three times in eight starts.

"It's been a tremendous success," Woods said of his 2009 campaign. "I remember looking at the year and just trying to get back playing, (thinking) hopefully I can play and hopefully at a high level.

"Looking at my situation at the beginning of the year, to have three wins, I wouldn't have thought that.

"Granted I haven't won a major but I've come close," added the 33-year-old American who tied for sixth at the U.S. Masters in April before again sharing sixth place at last month's U.S. Open.

MAJOR POSITION

"I've put myself in position to win the first few majors, I just haven't done it."

Woods is looking forward to tackling Turnberry's Ailsa course, which is staging the championship for the first time since Zimbabwe's Nick Price lifted the Claret Jug in 1994.

"It's in great shape, the rough is up a little bit and we haven't had the big winds yet," he said after playing 18 holes of practice with compatriot and good friend Mark O'Meara, the 1998 champion.

"We'll see how the weather holds out but, all in all, the golf course is just a fabulous golf course."

Turnberry has staged only three previous Opens but its list of winners oozes quality, a fact that does not surprise Woods.