Tiger Woods: Pebble Beach Pro-Am Is Perfect Tune-Up for 2012 Season

Tiger Woods has high hopes for 2012, so what better way to kick off his PGA Tour season than in a smaller, fan-friendly event like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

He actually had a nice showing two weeks ago at Abu Dhabi in the HSBC Golf Championship event, finishing third at 11-under par. He was tied for the lead after the third round, but hit some poor shots off the tee in the final round to fall behind late. 

It was an encouraging sign, though he still isn't where he needs to be in order to return to his past dominance of the sport. 

The Pro-Am has no pressure attached to it. Woods hasn't played in the event since 2002, but he is brimming with confidence right now and he has to keep playing to ensure that his swing continues to improve as we move closer to the Masters in April. 

Woods is a machine on the golf course, but this is not the event for him to act like a robot. As Alan Shipnuck of Sports Illustrated wrote, the nature of the Pro-Am, which Woods is playing with Tony Romo and Bill Murray is one of the featured golfers, could be the perfect cure for Woods' stoic personality. 

"

Woods prefers to exist in a carefully controlled bubble, but the Pro-Am’s celeb-centric mirth and leisurely pace of play make that almost impossible. His hand-picked partner, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, is a good stick and a longtime friend, so that helps.

"

There are still signs that he is not where he needs to be. In addition to his problems striking the ball off the tee in Abu Dhabi, we haven't seen him hit the putts late in rounds that he used to when he was feeling the heat from someone else. 

Going out of his usual bubble to show his human side on the golf course could be just the thing he needs to keep improving his game. Physically, he looks as strong as he has in a long time. His play, while still not great, is slowly starting to come back. 

The only thing that is left for him to do is get out of his head for a little bit to have fun while playing the game. He wanted to be at the Pro-Am because of the course and atmosphere, so perhaps he is ready to enjoy golfing again. 

Follow @adamwells1985