Tiger Woods

Whenever Tiger Woods is playing golf from now until he retires, the question of whether or not he is 'back' will always come up. It's inevitable, unfortunately, the answer to that isn't as black and white as some people make it out to be. Can he win majors, compete at a high level and be one of the world's best golfers? Sure, he absolutely can. But is he back? Like Tiger back? Like every player on the course fears him back? Like never, ever blowing a lead on a Sunday back? No, and I don't think he ever will be.  In 2008, when Tiger Woods forced a playoff against Rocco Mediate with a 15-foot birdie putt in the US Open, everyone was scared.

In the old days, Tiger Woods might have won the AT&T National with ease. In the old days, Woods might not have needed his closest competitor to bogey the last three holes at Congressional Country Club. In the old days, Woods might not have stopped to acknowledge the two military officers waiting his arrival at the 18th tee before he made his final putt. In the old days, Woods might not have acknowledged the crowd - twice - and high-fived some volunteers en route to the scoring tent.

It only took a glimpse of the gallery following Tiger Woods in Saturday's third round of the AT&T National to figure out that something was amiss at Congressional Country Club. There were about 50 people -- media included -- watching a player who normally attracts thousands. "I told Tiger that it was a Bo Van Pelt crowd, so I was used to that," Van Pelt joked after the round. "I was very comfortable with 10 or 15 people watching me play golf. " Weather permitting, it should be much different for Sunday's final round.

It has taken three years, a stretch of time when their career arcs crisscrossed, when their successes and failures were dissected like frogs in a high school biology class, when they seemed to share little except the same swing coach. Such is the way things have gone for Hunter Mahan and Tiger Woods since the final round of the 2009 AT&T National. The last time the tournament was held here at Congressional Country Club, Woods appeared invincible, recovered from a serious knee injury and in the midst of another dominating season.

Tiger Woods has been compared with other great golfers, legends like Jack Nicklaus and even Bobby Jones dating back to Woods' days as an amateur. He has even been compared with other great athletes who dominated their sport, like Michael Jordanand Roger Federer. As he settles into his athletic middle age, others are now compared to Woods. During his press conference Tuesday in advance of this week's AT&T National tournament at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, where he will play the dual role as host and favorite once again, Woods was asked about the similarities between the scrutiny he has received over the years with what LeBron James had gone through until finally winning his first NBA championship last week.

- When Tiger Woods broke a 2 - 1/2 year drought without an official PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, it didn't come down to a crucial putt as in 2009. Woods, much like he did when he was the most dominant player on the planet, won by five shots. When Woods backed up that win with another at the Memorial Tournament last month, matching host and fellow legend Jack Nicklaus for second place behind Sam Snead with 73 PGA Tour victories, it was a miraculous chip-in from the 16th green that Sunday which pushed him into the lead.

It might not be an overstatement to suggest that this is the most important weekend of Tiger Woods' career. It is certainly not a stretch to say that this weekend - if it ends with a victory for the 36-year-old Woods in the U.S. Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club - could redefine a legacy that added more than a few unwanted chapters over the past three years. A win would be the 74 th PGA Tour victory for Woods, who recently tied Jack Nicklaus for second place behind Sam Snead all-time.

Olympic suits Kuchar Tom Yantz Hartford Courant Not Tiger, Phil, Bubba, Rory or Lee. "Kooch" will reign supreme. Matt Kuchar just won The Players Championship, where he beat a stellar field. The U.S. Open at the Olympic Club, toughened to the extreme by the USGA, will be a greater physical and mental endurance test. Kuchar can grind with the best of them. He ranks 10th in greens in regulation and 25th in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour.

Temper the expectations Tom Yantz Hartford Courant It would be easy to say yes after that fabulous flop shot trickled into the 16th cup for birdie that shook the landscape of Ohio. Woods isn't focused on dominating, though. Of course, he'd love to. But his objective is to win. There were encouraging signs at the Memorial, such has leading the field in greens in regulation (53 of 72) and hitting 13 of 14 fairways Sunday. He also displayed great shot-making flair under pressure.

Tiger is back. Tiger is not back yet. Tiger is back. Tiger is not back yet. As you might be able to see, I am undecided on this popular and perplexing topic. Watching what Tiger Woods did Sunday at Muirfield Village Golf Club, coming from two shots down with four holes to play to win the Memorial Tournament and tie the event's legendary host, Jack Nicklaus, with PGA Tour victory No. 73, brought back memories from the years when Woods was undeniably the No. 1 player in golf.