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    August 04, 2011

Tiger Woods Back in Action After Nearly 3 Months

   VOA News
   Tiger Woods takes the ball from his caddie Bryon Bell on the first
   green during first round action at the Bridgestone Invitational golf
   tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, August 4, 2011
   Photo: AP
   Tiger Woods takes the ball from his caddie Bryon Bell on the first
   green during first round action at the Bridgestone Invitational golf
   tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, August 4, 2011

   Former world number-one golfer Tiger Woods of the United States is back
   in competition after an 11-week break to heal injuries to his left leg.
   Woods teed it up Thursday at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron,
   Ohio, and finished his first round at 2-under-par-68. He said he "hit
   the ball really flush" and that the hardest part was controlling the
   distance.
   Woods is tied for 18th, six shots behind leader Adam Scott of Australia
   who fired a brilliant 8-under-par 62.
   This had been the third-longest layoff of Tiger's career, during which
   he fired his longtime caddie, saying it was time for a change And on
   Monday he dropped to number-28, his lowest world ranking in 14.5 years.
   It has been more than 20 months since Tiger's last victory, was which
   at the Australian Masters, shortly before he was exposed for having
   multiple extramarital affairs that led to his divorce.
   Woods is playing a Firestone course where he has been quite successful.
   He has won seven times there, matching the most he has won on any
   course as a pro. However, he was at his low point on the course in the
   Bridgestone Invitational last year when he finished 78th in an 80-man
   field. Before that, Woods had never finished out of the top five on the
   course.
   Woods last played May 12 when he withdrew from the Players Championship
   in Florida after nine holes after aggravating a strained left knee and
   left Achilles tendon.
   While sidelined he missed two majors - the U.S. Open and the British
   Open. He called his return "fun" and added that he has missed the
   competition.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP..