Tiger Woods’s back operation in March robbed the former world number one of a quarter of the golf season but at least it has given him a fresh outlook on his career. The 14-time major champion will be making his second competitive appearance in four months at this week’s British Open and Woods is just happy to be back at the venue of his memorable 2006 victory at Royal Liverpool.

“With this particular injury with my back I didn’t want to do anything,” Woods told reporters on Tuesday. “I couldn’t get out of bed and I couldn’t move around the house.

“That made me appreciate just how fortunate I was to be able to play at that high level for the better part of 17 years. It made me appreciate that a lot more.”

Woods famously won the 2008 U.S. Open, the most recent of his major triumphs, virtually on one leg due to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) problems that eventually led to surgery.

“When I had no ACL and my leg was pretty trashed I could actually still go out there and play,” explained the 38-year-old American. “I couldn’t do that with this back injury.

“I couldn’t actually enjoy my life…the daily things of just moving around. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun.”

Woods missed the cut on his comeback at the Quicken Loans National event in Maryland last month but he is delighted just to be pain-free these days.

“The people who have had my surgery, they’ve all said the same thing. It changes your whole life, it just takes away all the pain,” said the world number seven.

“Yeah, you’re sore from the incision but you don’t have that radiating pain that goes down the leg. Once that was removed, even though I was hurting from the surgery, I knew I could come back and play.

A MATTER OF TIME

“It was just a matter of time before I got out here and was able to play at elite level again. Once I went through the procedure and I was just sitting in the recovery room and I didn’t have that pain any more it was a lot of relief.”

Former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange had said earlier this month that Woods had to limit his ambitions at Hoylake because of his limited playing time since surgery. Golf’s great drawcard, however, said he had proved in the past how he can triumph in the face of adversity.

“The Sunday before the US Open I didn’t break 50 for nine holes and still I was able to win it in a playoff (with Rocco Mediate) with an ACL and a broken leg.

“I’ve proven I can do it. It’s just a matter of giving myself the best chances this week, to miss in the correct spots, to be aggressive when I can and obviously to hole putts. That’s a recipe you find for every major championship.”

Lahiri returns

Two years ago after he had the Royal Lytham and St Annes abuzz with a stunning hole-in-one, Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri is back at the Open for a second start. The 27-year-old, who has won four Asian Tour titles and leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit, got a late exemption forcing a change in his plans, including cutting short his honeymoon.

After losing an old passport with a valid visa, money and a bag and then getting delayed due to flights, Lahiri is finally at Hoylake.

“It is always great to say I am playing the Open. That’s the Major we knew most about,” said Lahiri.

Lahiri arrived here in Hoylake on Saturday and immediately put in three practice rounds in three days.