Golf world seeing different Tiger Woods

As Tiger Woods started working his magic on the golf course again in December, a noticeable change in the public personality of this era's greatest golfer was taking shape.

Woods, who missed nearly two and half years after three unsuccessful back surgeries, has regained his form after successful anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery just over a year ago. He’s one of the favorites in this year’s Masters Tournament, his first since 2015.

During his comeback, the 42-year-old has been more engaged on and off the course with fans. He’s also opened up with the media.

Before tournaments this season and after his rounds, the normally tight-lipped Woods has even volunteered information. There was this tidbit after his final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March: Woods said he would be visiting Augusta National Golf Club soon to work on its bentgrass greens because he hadn’t putted on bentgrass in more than two years. That was because he lives in Florida, where bentgrass can’t grow, and the few tournaments he’d been able to play in the past few years didn’t have that strain of grass.

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He continued to be forthcoming in his news conference Tuesday at Augusta National, even answering a question about his personal life.

“Tiger has undoubtedly been more open, whether it be in interviews or just his interactions with people at tournaments,” said Bob Harig, ESPN.com’s senior golf writer.

Harig would know. He’s covered all six tournaments since Woods' return, walking almost every hole with him during that stretch.

“He’s more apt to acknowledge a young fan who calls out his name,” Harig said. “He’s tried to sign more autographs. In media interviews, he’s been more forthcoming, such as telling us he would visit Augusta prior to the Masters and what he planned to do while there. He didn’t necessarily offer that up in the past. He’s also noted how much pain he’s been in the past few years, and wondered openly about his future.”

On Tuesday, Woods talked in detail about attending the Champions Dinner at the previous two Masters when he was unable to play.

“It was very difficult,” he said. “Very, very difficult. A couple of years ago, it was really difficult because Arnold (Palmer) wasn’t doing well, and Jack (Nicklaus) and I helped him into the dinner where we were going to take our photo, and then I helped him over to his table and his seat where he was going to sit down for the dinner. And that was tough to see my friend like that. And then last year to feel so uncomfortable just sitting, because my nerve was on fire, it was going down my leg and it was just burning.”

In an ESPN the Magazine article this month, he went into greater detail than normal about the pain he’d been in before the fusion surgery, saying that for about six months he had to be helped out of bed every day.

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“And there were some days where even if you helped me, I couldn’t stand up. I’d have to just either fall to the floor or just stay in bed. That was a tough part of my life,” he said.

In a post on his website Friday, Woods said the successful surgery has given him a “second chance on life.”

Fellow pro Brandt Snedeker believes Woods’ new lease on life – and his age – might explain his change.

“I think he’s more at peace with his role in golf and what it looks like now,” Snedeker said. “I think there was a time when he was so focused on winning everything he teed up for that he kind of missed out on some of the relationships that go on out here and he’s kind of embraced the last two and half years, being on these teams as an assistant captain and opened up more to a mentor role to some of these younger guys.”

Woods hasn’t explained the public softening.

“It will be interesting if he ever dives into this himself,” Harig said. “We can only surmise that the events of the past year were ripe with perspective. When he was at the Champions Dinner a year ago, he had no idea what was in store. The fusion surgery a few weeks later meant he’d miss another six months without being able to swing a club. The DUI arrest (in May) and all the attention had to be incredibly embarrassing. So coming out of that, there seems to be more of an appreciation for what he accomplished and also for being able to play again at all – let alone at a high level.”

Woods was asked Tuesday whether he was surprised at how welcoming players have been since his return to the game. He was once again thoughtful in his answer.

“I think they just missed my sharp needle,” Woods joked, before turning serious. “This is just like a fraternity. When somebody gets hurt and someone gets sick, we bond, we come and try to support them as best we possibly can. Because we all know what it takes to be at this elite level. I think that a lot of the players, especially the older players, really understood what I was kind of going through, because we have all dealt with injuries."

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