Four-Ball: Tiger makes a tweak prior to Hero World Challenge

ByESPN.COM
November 28, 2016, 11:41 AM

— -- Stage fright. Health. Confidence. These are just a few of the obstacles Tiger Woods faces this week in his anticipated return to competitive golf.

So what else can we expect from the 14-time major winner? Our panel samples all things Tiger for this week's edition of Monday Four-Ball.

1. What will be the hardest obstacle for Tiger to overcome this week?

SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: Confidence. From everything we are hearing, Tiger is physically ready to go. We aren't talking about just another player. We are talking about the confidence to be a top-shelf player again. I am not talking about 2000 Tiger, but Tiger is special. Can he have the confidence in himself to be competitive and beat guys like Jordan Spieth or Jason Day? I don't care who you are -- confidence can help you overcome so much.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Michael Collins: By teeing it up for four straight competitive rounds, he'll be overcoming the hardest obstacle he's had to face -- time. Nothing is more difficult for a golfer than having to sit out and wait to get healthy. Besides that, trusting the new golf ball will be a big obstacle as well. Remember, it took Rory McIlroy a year to win after he switched golf ball companies.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: His own expectations. Most realize that a 15-month break due to physical issues requires a grace period. Woods himself knows that. And yet, he admitted Sunday that his competitiveness makes it very difficult to not try to compete.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel: Believe it or not, stage fright. As he told Bob Harig on the range Sunday, Tiger is going to feel some butterflies this week. He'll need to rise above it. Harvest the good energy and block out the bad. It's one thing to post a good score on his home course in complete privacy, or stripe drives on an empty range. It's another to do that with people watching all over the world.

2. What do you make of Woods' decision to change golf balls for the Hero World Challenge?

Coachman: Tiger says it all starts with the ball. I am a little surprised he didn't go for Titleist, but leave it to Tiger to go against the grain. At some point he had to make the change, and why not do it out of the box in a small event in the Bahamas instead of waiting for a full-field event in the new year?

Collins: It's a smart move to do it now so he can find out exactly how the ball will feel when he hits shots in tournament conditions. The hope is he will get in situations that he hasn't practiced for, so then he'll learn exactly how the ball reacts on those ticklish shots that require the most nerve.

Harig: It makes sense because Nike is no longer going to be making a golf ball. He needed to find something else, and it's quite likely the Bridgestone ball he is using this week possesses very similar characteristics to what he's been using.

Sobel: Good for him. Nike's decision to leave the equipment game opened the door for all of the players previously under contract to sample new things. If Tiger showed up this week with the same Nike ball and same equipment, it would show he either hasn't tested new stuff or doesn't care enough to switch. I like the fact that he's willing to explore what's out there.

3. With so many questions surrounding Tiger, which one is the most important to answer this week?

Coachman: For me, it would be "Does his back pass the test?" Once he gets through four rounds of walking and swinging, I honestly don't care where he finishes in the field. I just care that he finishes. He disappointed all of us when he didn't play at the Safeway Open in October, but if he comes out with a great attitude and in great physical condition, people will forget that very, very quickly.

Collins: Most importantly for Tiger, how does he feel, health-wise, after every round? And then how does he feel after the tournament is over? Could he play again the following week? The health of his back, and health overall, will be the biggest question that needs answering this week.

Harig: Can he play 72 holes without pain and discomfort? Getting through an entire week -- including practice, the pro-am and all of his other duties associated with the event -- should be considered a good first step in his comeback.

Sobel: Can he legitimately walk 72 holes and post a decent score? I know that doesn't sound like much, but I saw where one betting parlor is taking nearly even money on Tiger retiring by the end of next year and has set the over/under on his number of starts at 6.5. People really seem to think he's done. That, if anything, is what he needs to disprove. This isn't about the result.

4. Are you taking the over or the under of 72.5 for Tiger's first-round score at the Hero World Challenge?

Coachman: I am taking the under. I choose to believe in his greatness. I know one round doesn't determine that, but I think he is determined to come out of the box and show the world that he has his game right away. I believe he will shoot even par or better in his first round on Thursday.

Collins: Over. We've heard the, "flushing it, crushing it, puring it on the range" song way too many times before, followed by a 78. Tiger shooting par or better after 15 months off is a bit too much to ask even for a guy considered by many, including me, to be the GOAT.

Harig: Over. Not because an under-par score is impossible. Who knows, perhaps Tiger shoots in the 60s. But this will be the first time in 15 months he'll have a pencil and scorecard in his hand when it matters.

Sobel: That sounds about right. I'll take a round of exactly 72.5. All right, considering there's no half-stroke at stake, I'll take the under. Why? Well, I do believe he wants to prove people wrong and will be amped up to compete again. But it has more to do with this: The early Thursday forecast calls for 81 degrees with a 40 percent chance of rain and only a 5-10 mph breeze. That's called scoring conditions.