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American Morning

Tiger Woods Returns

Aired May 10, 2001 - 09:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Time to say good morning to Laura Okmin.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Laura Okmin.

LAURA OKMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys. We are on the Tiger hunt this morning.

HARRIS: Here we go again.

OKMIN: Tiger, Tiger, Tiger.

Tiger Woods hasn't played a tournament since completing his "Tiger Slam" four weeks ago, but there were some surefire signs that the world's No. 1 golfer is, in fact, back on the scene. Hint No. 1: a helicopter circling above the Irving, Texas golf course. That will give it away. Hint No. 2: questions that last week's tour winner David Toms had to answer like, "What do you think Tiger's favorite board game is?" I am not making that up.

CNN Sports Illustrated's Tom Rinaldi is on the Tiger watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just a little longer...

OK, now it's official. He's back. How big is Tiger Woods? So big, his absence has become a presence and his vacations make the news.

TIGER WOODS, PGA GOLF PLAYER: I have taken a month off. I'm just -- I have hit a lot of golf balls. And, yes, I can hit a golf ball great on the range. And I then I can rake another one and hit that good, too. But to go out and have to hit it in competition, I think it's a much better barometer.

RINALDI: Woods returns to competition for the first time since winning the Masters, since making history, since becoming the first pro golfer to win the game's four major championships in a row. He used a pro-am round Wednesday to prepare to win his fourth tournament in a row -- not that he's counting.

WOODS: What winning streak? (LAUGHTER)

WOODS: Yes, well, I have won three if a row, I think it is -- you know, big deal.

RINALDI: Woods plays in this tournament for one reason: his relationship with golf legend Byron Nelson. Nelson won 11 tournaments in a row as part of an unequaled 18-win season in 1945, a record Woods reveres. The two met when Woods was just a high school freshman.

BYRON NELSON, FORMER PRO GOLF PLAYER: The thing that impressed me the most was the fact that you could see then that he had a great desire to play golf.

WOODS: He said, "Just stay the track. Keep doing what you are doing, because, obviously, what you are doing is right."

RINALDI: In trying to win his 28th tournament, Woods has some history on his side. He won the Byron Nelson back in 1997 and finished fourth last year. As to whether rust might be a factor...

WOODS: Hopefully, I can not embarrass myself out there and break 90 a couple of days and get to the weekend.

RINALDI (on camera): Tiger Woods may have been off lately, but he has been busy. He actually hosted two golf clinics and held a charity concert to benefit his foundation. Earlier this week, he attended the funeral for Mark O'Meara's mother back in Orlando. But he's here now, back at a tournament. And there's a good chance he'll be working late into Sunday.

In Irving, Texas, I am Tom Rinaldi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OKMIN: Well, Tiger may say he has his work cut out for him, hardly playing during his time off, but this kind of competition always seems to bring out the best in him. The tournament has 23 of the top 30 players on the PGA's money list. In the 13 toughest fields since the 2000 season, Tiger has won eight and finished no worse than a tie for eighth.

Something about the level of play, and that man just turns it up.

HARRIS: Oh, he is overrated.

KAGAN: You heard that one here first.

HARRIS: Just Joking. Just joking.

(LAUGHTER)

OKMIN: Cover yourself up in a hurry.

HARRIS: That's guy is incredible. That's incredible.

OKMIN: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: Yes, really. Thanks a lot.

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