Tiger Woods Gets Some Pre-Birthday Needling

Tiger Woods, the walking, breathing Danielle Steele novel of the golf world, turns 35 next week, Dec. 30 to be precise if you care to drop him a card.

Woods, the winless wonder this season, the living AP story of the year, is just hanging out these days, doing whatever it is that he does now that his skirt-chasing days have been subdued for the time being.

The Prince of Par, who usually needles his fellow PGA Tour members, got the needle himself earlier this month, literally, a cortisone injection into his right ankle to stem his latest physical ailment.

Woods celebrated Thanksgiving with his children, woofing down some apple and pumpkin pie according to his tweets, this mad Tower of Tweet, the Scion of the Social Network.

No word on Christmas, as Woods, the self-proclaimed Buddhist would have to abandon Buddha, at least for a day to frolic under the tree and shower his children with the vast array of gifts that a billionaire can afford.

There may be some time this month on The Privacy his 135-foot bathtub toy that can make it to the islands in no time.

Oh yes, and let's not forget a little preparation for the 2011 golf season where Woods hopes to launch the most massive of comebacks ever seen or heard in golf history.

Caddie Steve Williams declared at the Chevron event that "the tide is turning" for his boss, the Baron of Bogeys in 2010.

Tiger's also been shooting some commercials and that's good news for the management gremlins at IMG, the 15 percenters off the top who saw their coffers bulge less after their client was dropped faster than a white-hot branding iron after all that Thanksgiving hub-bub last year.

Ah, but the New Year approaches and with it a chance for all of us, Tiger included, to start with a clean slate.

It's the American way, forget last year, that's history. Nothing we can do about it now.

There are tournaments to enter, putts to make, drives to chase and perhaps there's victory waiting somewhere out there, sooner or later.

But for now, the big 35 looms and this Tiger Woods has seemingly been with us for a lifetime. It's been a long time.

Lots to remember and lots to still write about for golf's solution for boredom.

There may be boring moments with golf, but never so much with Tiger Woods.

Happy birthday, buddy.