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Tiger Woods is back and still aiming high

Tiger Woods was an early arrival to the British Open with hopes of avoiding an early departure.

Woods has played only two competitive rounds in the last four months because of back pain that led to surgery. That’s why he chose to get to England a day earlier than usual — Saturday — to get acclimated to links golf at Royal Liverpool.

It’s nothing like he remembers from his two-shot victory in 2006. Hoylake was brown and dusty that year, and the ball was bouncing along at such speed that Woods hit only one driver the entire week. That was on the 16^th hole, and the shot wound up on the 17^th fairway. He still made birdie.

“The golf course is a little bit softer than what it was in ‘06,” Woods said on Tuesday. “I’ve played three practice rounds now and have had three different winds. So that’s been helpful to be able to see the golf course in different conditions.”