Tuesday 11 October 2016 14:47, UK
Chris Wood admits he was disappointed to hear Tiger Woods had delayed his comeback plans as he prepares to compete at the British Masters.
The BMW PGA Champion is looking to win at home for the second time this year at The Grove, in a tournament which is being hosted by Luke Donald and supported by Sky Sports.
Ahead of the event, Wood said it was a blow that 14-time major winner Woods has decided to delay his return to competitive golf, pulling out of this week's Safeway Open and next month's Turkish Airlines Open, claiming his game is not ready for a competitive return to the course.
"It's such a shame," Wood said. "I was tweeting and a few other players were tweeting about everyone being excited to see Tiger back and there is just nothing like it. It is such a buzz when he is due to play, although we're not used to seeing him for the last year or so.
"It certainly added, for me, the value of going to Turkey this year and playing. When I knew Tiger was going to be playing I thought - it's not made my mind up - but helped me with my decision to go and play there.
"I'm still going to go and play obviously, but to have Tiger playing in Turkey in one of his first couple of events back would have been amazing for the European Tour."
Woods stormed to victory at The Grove a decade ago, winning the WGC-American Express Championship in 2006 by eight shots, and Wood, playing for the first time since his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine, is looking forward to another great weekend of golf.
"When Tiger won here in 2006, I think he won at 21 under [Woods won with a score of 23-under par] so if you are sort of looking 12 to 16 under par you are going to be there or thereabouts," Wood added.
"It is just so nice to have another tournament in England. We always have decent crowds so hopefully the weather behaves and it is a great week."
Fellow Brit Oliver Wilson also expressed disappointment about Woods' decision to delay his comeback to the course, but said he understood why the former world No 1 wanted to be in good form before returning to the spotlight.
"I was gutted when I saw that, I was looking forward to watching him play. There are a lot of people who want him to succeed, there are a lot who don't and I think that's a shame," Wilson told Sky Sports News HQ at the British Masters.
"As time goes on there is so much pressure on him for his comeback week. He's got to be bang on form. It is not like me or any of the guys here, taking a bit of time out then coming back to play one week and going under the radar and if it's not a great week you can say 'it is the first week back'.
"Tiger doesn't have that luxury. Whatever he does, that first week back is going to get picked apart, especially with his chipping, mental game, driving, his swing. The first swing on the first tee the commentators, everyone will be analysing it - it will be all over the internet.
"As soon as he hits one bad shot it will get dissected, everything will. So I kind of understand where he is at. I hope it is honestly exactly where he is at, he's just not quite ready. He said 'vulnerable', which I guess is a bit eye-opening for him because he has never used that word before.
"I just hope his invincibility in his head is still there and if he can spend a few more weeks practicing then hopefully we can see him back. I just want to see him back playing decent golf.
"I don't think he is ever going to come back to the level he was at but if he was playing consistent I think it would be great for golf, great for the players on the Tour just to see him and be around him more, so fingers crossed it is nothing more than what he has said and that he will be back sooner rather than later."
Watch the British Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Live coverage begins on Tuesday with the Hero Challenge from 7.30pm.
