Woods warms up fans
NORTON -- Tiger Woods officially will renew his acquaintance with TPC Boston at 7 this morning when he tees off in the pro-am, the prelude to tomorrow's start of the annual Duetsche Bank Championship.
The 31-year-old Woods, often smiling and looking relaxed after taking time off following his Aug. 12 PGA Championship victory, began to get the feel of things here yesterday afternoon with a nearly two-hour tuneup on the driving range and putting greens.
A small crowd of about 100 watched from the grandstand as Woods, accompanied by caddie Steve Williams, slipped quietly onto the range just before 3:45 and spent slightly more than a half-hour hitting irons and fairway woods. He then exited, stage left, to the nearby practice greens and bunkers -- the grandstand crowd quick to change venues -- for nearly an hour and a half of chipping and putting.
Ever workmanlike, Woods, who has pocketed $7.824 million in PGA Tour earnings this year, rarely took a break while toiling under the blue sky and warm late summer sun. Roughly 20 minutes before calling it quits at 5:37, he nibbled at a banana provided by Williams, continuing to putt with his right hand and eat with his left. For the record, the No. 1 golfer in the world was maddeningly accurate in the peel-and-putt session.
Woods, keeping to his early-morning routine (rarely is he spotted on the course on practice days after high noon), will go off at hole No. 1 today, accompanied by
Woods has won five times in 2007. His career earnings are now $73.5 million plus, and he is the defending champion here, getting around with a minus-16 268 in 2006. Vijay Singh, spotted earlier yesterday pounding away on the driving range, was last year's runner-up at 14 under. The winner Monday will pocket $1.26 million (identical to what Woods banked with his PGA win).
As he exited the practice range, Woods was met by the ever-present group of autograph-seekers, ranging in age from preschoolers to AARP members. With the aid of a small police detail, he slowly made his way through the polite pack, signing pennants and programs, before slipping into the clear. His final PR act of the day was to pose with two security employees and their obedient black guard dogs.
Finally, after ditching clubs in the back of a nearby Buick SUV, Woods and Williams made their way on foot to the clubhouse, entering just before 5:45. Woods wrapped up the day with an evening meeting here with Jack Nicklaus. The 67-year-old Golden Bear is captain of the US Presidents Cup team that will take on an international squad Sept. 27-30 in Montreal. Woods is on the team.
Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com. 
