Mike Cormack

With Tiger getting his life together off the course, the focus shifts to whether he can win again while on it.

As Oprah is fond of saying, "Let the healing begin."

That seems to be the prevailing opinion following Tiger Woods' Monday press conference at The Masters.

There were a few new revelations, but nothing earth-shattering: He said he plans to be more humble and respectful with his fans. We can expect less of the F-bombs, club-tossing and even his trademark fist pumps. He apologized to his fellow Tour pros for the first time for the circus he created around them.

He addressed Dr. Galea, the Thanksgiving car accident (sort of) and he pledged to become a better man.

As for the thing that made him so famous in the first place-- his golf --Woods conceded that his game is not 100 per cent.

"I'm hoping I get my feel back quickly," he said. "Feel for the game, feel for shots, feel more how my body is reacting and what my distances are going to be. I hope I get that relatively quickly. Hopefully the first hole."

Also noteworthy we thought was Tiger's lukewarm response when asked whether he would like to particpate in front of what would surely be a hostile crowd at the Ryder Cup this fall in Wales.

"If I qualify," was his response, failing to be any more definitive.

And perhaps it was a time-constraint issue, but we're also wishing someone asked Tiger what his plans were for the rest of the year. Does he plan to return to a normal schedule? Will he play more often? Play less? Let's hope he tells us before the end of the week so we don't have rely on another terse press release.

In any event, we're confident -- check that, hopeful -- that the golf media can now shift its focus back to where it really belongs: on who is going to win what could be the most watched golf tournament in history.

* What would a sex scandal be without a cheeky headline from a British tabloid?

Meanwhile, The Daily Mail asks the unthinkable: was the booty was the secret to Tiger's success?

* Marcia C. Smith of the Orange County Register tells us a.) she didn't sleep with Tiger Woods b.) she's not a pole dancer and c.) there's a lot of female golf fans still unwilling to forgive him.

* Rory McIlroy will try to become the youngest winner of The Masters this week, but The Times Online suggests he may have blown it by spurning the advice of Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.

* Dave Anderson of The New York Times says Tiger hasn't had to qualify for much on the golf course, but now he has to qualify as a person before his golf triumphs can be worthy of admiration. Ouch.

* Tom Watson tells the Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard why he thinks 50-year-old Fred Couples will win The Masters with Lee Westwood runner-up and Tiger Woods third.

* If there's such a thing as a Masters drinking game, we imagine shots must be consumed for every "indelible" and "renewal" uttered by the sryupy Jim Nantz.

And after reading this unflattering piece by the fine folks at deadspin.com we'll assume they don't consider themselves among Nantz's signature "friends."

* Totally flying under the radar this week amidst all the Tiger talk is 16-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero, who on Thursday will become the youngest player in the history of the Masters. Manassero, who plans to turn pro following The Masters, created quite a bond with Tom Watson at last year's Open Championship on his way to an impressive T13. He qualified this week thanks to his win last summer in the British Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest winner of that event in its 124-year history.

* Speaking of under-the-radar, how about the weekend performance of PGA Tour roookie -- and pride of Weyburn, Saskatchewan -- Graham Daleat? The 28-year-old finished T3 at last week's Shell Houston Open and missed the playoff by a single shot after registering just a single bogey over his final 54 holes on a very tricky track. Murray McCormick of the Regina Leader-Post caught up with Daleat on Monday and points out that the $336,400 US payday should be enough for him to secure his Tour card for 2011.

* Hands up those of you who knew Michelle Wie's hobbies include bloody skulls, teddy bear-mauling robots and schoolgirls sporting plaid skirts and gas masks? We thought so.

* The field for this summer's TELUS World Skins Game at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C., has been finalized with Camilo Villegas of Colombia, American Fred Couples, Canada’s Mike Weir, Ian Poulter of England and South African Retief Goosen set to take part.