Tiger Woods admits he'll take uncharacteristically low expectations into his US PGA Tour return at Torrey Pines in order to be fully prepared for the Masters in April.
Throughout his storied career, the 14-time major champion has aimed for nothing less than victory from every tournament he teed it up in.
But after a 10-month injury hiatus from competitive golf in 2017 while he recovered from spinal fusion surgery, the 42-year-old says he's not setting the bar high this week at the Farmers Insurance Open near San Diego.
"My expectations have tempered a little bit because I haven't played," said Woods, who made an unofficial return at the 18-man Hero World Challenge in December.
"I just want to start playing on tour and getting into a rhythm of (regular) a schedule again. I haven't done that in such a long time, so I don't know what to expect."
Despite the fact former world No.1 has eight wins at Torrey Pines, including his last major trophy at the 2008 US Open, it is seen as an unusual venue for Woods' return.
With the tournament's North and South brutally long courses presenting thick rough and fast greens, an underprepared Woods missed the cut for the first time at Torrey Pines last year.
But the 79-time PGA Tour winner claims his late January start will allow him to sharpen up before the year's first major at Augusta National.
"I'm trying to build towards April; getting ready for the Masters is something I haven't done that in a very long time," said Woods, who last played at Augusta in 2015.
Woods has been forced to take multiple breaks from golf due to a variety of surgeries since damaging his anterior cruciate ligament at the 2008 US Open.
But after his spinal fusion last April was deemed a success, Woods feels this comeback will be different.
"My surgeon said from the get-go, once it's fused, you'll have speed like you did back in your early 30s. And he's right," said Woods.
"No one's had a spinal fusion at this level and be able to hit the ball as hard as I do. I'd like to meet somebody who can swing it over 120 miles an hour with a fused back.
"I haven't felt this good in years."
On Wednesday, scoring officials put Woods down for a two-under-par 70 during his pro am event on the North course.
But Woods has called pro am events "hit and giggle" and applies considerably less concentration.
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