Woods, who injured his left Achilles’ during the third round of last month’s Masters, took to the course for the first time since leaving Augusta National, getting in nine holes yesterday in preparation for this week’s Players Championship. He only started to hit balls Monday.

“The whole idea is that I peak four times a year, and I’m trying to get ready for Congressional [US Open] and I need some playing time,’’ said Woods. “I really want to get out there and play and compete. This is a big event, and I want to be here and play.’’

Still winless since late 2009, Woods hasn’t played well here since winning in 2001. He’s never missed a cut at the Players, but has only one top-10 finish in his past eight starts. He withdrew from last year’s tournament in the final round with a neck injury.

He’s dropped to eighth in the world rankings after owning No. 1 for more than five consecutive years, but didn’t say he misses the top spot. Not necessarily.

“I miss winning,’’ Woods said. “That’s the most important thing. That’s how you maintain [the No. 1 ranking], you’ve got to win golf tournaments.’’

Watson swings away Bubba Watson might be having the best year on the PGA Tour, winning twice. But his record at the Players is lousy, with three missed cuts in four starts and a stroke average of 73.70. In an attempt to reverse his fortune, he’s using a radical approach this week.

“I’m not going to play a practice round,’’ said Watson, whose first PGA Tour win came at last year’s Travelers Championship near Hartford. “The golf course is too hard for me. I don’t like the look off the tee. I don’t think I’ve played it that well. There’s no trick to it. I’ve just got to man up and play it.’’

Watson raised some eyebrows last week in Charlotte when he said Woods’s game was going in the wrong direction. Predictably, Woods was asked about Watson’s comments.

“That was interesting,’’ he said. “We’ll talk.’’

Major movement Charl Schwartzel is making his first tour start since winning the Masters, punctuated by four straight birdies to finish, a first for a Masters champion. How does the soft-spoken South African look back on the historic closing kick? “It was just one of those things,’’ he said. “I kept hitting good shot after good shot, and before I knew it, I was busy making four birdies in a row. It never once really crossed my mind that you can’t get too far ahead that you’re going to win the Masters. I just sort of kept in my own little world.’’ . . . The large grandstand to the right and wrapping behind the 18th green has been taken down, leaving a much clearer view of the $32 million clubhouse while walking up the fairway . . . The island 17th green can be hard enough to hit, especially when the wind is blowing. Yesterday, two workers in a boat hanging microphones off the famous railroad ties made the task look even tougher, although nobody was heard yelling “Fore!’’ . . . Jim Furyk, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident for most of the year, gave caddie Mike “Fluff’’ Cowan a break on the 17th. Jaxson De Ville, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ mascot, briefly took over . . . The Italian trio of Francesco Molinari, his brother, Edoardo, and 18-year-old Matteo Manassero joined up for a practice round.

Michael Whitmer can be reached at mwhitmer@globe.com.