Tiger’s next step: Get back to tour

February 21, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) — Tiger Woods suddenly appeared through a gap in the blue curtains Friday as the room fell silent. He had been out of the public’s eye for three months. Fifteen minutes later, he was gone.

Essentially, Woods was seen and heard — in tightly controlled circumstances.

The next big step comes when he gets back to golf, a landscape he once dominated but may no longer control.

Golf’s biggest star spoke before a friendly crowd of 40 people in Florida, most of whom he had not seen since the Nov. 27 car accident that exposed the dirty side of a squeaky-clean image.

Supporters thought his televised apology for cheating on his wife and letting down his fans was sincere. Critics found it to be scripted.

Either way, it was clear just how differently Woods is viewed now.

“Hopefully, as he makes progress with these issues — today would have to be characterized as progress — people will react to that in a positive way,” PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. “He’s the biggest name in sports in the world, and people like that bring people out of the woodwork who have different opinions. It’s hard to predict how that’s going to play out.”

Three wire services — The Associated Press, Reuters and Bloomberg — were allowed in the room at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse to observe Woods’ talk, with no opportunity for questions. Sozens of satellite trucks and some 300 media gathered at the Sawgrass Marriottto watch Woods’ appearance on short-circuit TV.

That time comes when he steps fully back into public life, which in his case is the golf course.

“I don’t rule out that it will be this year,” said Woods, who confirmed he received therapy and was headed back for more Saturday. “When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game.”

It was an indication that along with trying to make good at home, Woods is taking responsibility for how he acts at work.

His temper has been a topic throughout his 13-plus years on the PGA Tour, particularly his language. Tom Watson sent Woods a letter last summer urging him to knock off the cursing. Watson shared his thoughts in Dubai when he said Woods has not carried the same stature as the greats: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson.

“I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown,” Watson said.

What’s unclear is whether being “more respectful of the game” means Woods will consider competing in some of the 11 tournaments on the main PGA Tour schedule that he has never played as a pro.

Woods’ star power dwarfs the rest of golf, however, the nature of his sins make him an easy target.

“It’s going to be a big deal when he comes back,” Finchem said. “But we can be reasonably prepared for that on short notice.”