Tiger's opponent sees a big opportunity

Marana, Arizona (AP): Australia's Brendon Jones felt chills up his spine when he heard of Tiger Woods' decision to make his return to golf at this week's Accenture Match Play Championship.

Jones, the last man to qualify for the 64-man field, was home with his family when he heard the news. He knew the No. 64 seed plays the No. 1 seed in the opening round, and he knew who was No. 1.

"I got a few chills up the back of my neck," Jones said. The trick will be getting them to go away when he meets Woods on the first tee of The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain tomorrow.

Jones has played in five majors and three World Golf Championships. He spent two years on the PGA Tour without much success, but has won eight times on the Japan Golf Tour.

He was quite the celebrity yesterday. He was stopped twice for pictures with fans as he walked off the 18th green. When he stepped into the media center, he found 30 reporters staring at him, along with eight television cameras at the back of the room.

Jones is curious, like everyone else, about how Woods will perform in his first tournament since winning the US Open on one good leg. Wood had season-ending surgery a week later to reconstruct the ligaments in his left knee.