Tiger Woods back in the spotlight as star arrives to play in US PGA Championship

Tiger Woods arrived at Southern Hills on Sunday and, after all the negativity of defending champion Phil Mickelson withdrawing, suddenly there is a hugely positive light set on the 104th US PGA Championship.

While Mickelson pulled out on Friday - continuing a three-month competitive absence in the midst of the controversy of his involvement with the Saudi breakaway tour - Woods has been enjoying a highly unfamiliar time out of the spotlight.

But now the attention switches to the 46-year-old. Unless Woods is in Oklahoma to see the wind come sweeping down the plain, he is there to prepare for his extraordinary comeback at Augusta.

Without a competitive appearance in 17 months after a car crash in which he almost lost his right leg, Woods incredibly made the cut before finishing in the top 50.

And despite the doubts he expressed in the immediate aftermath that his body would not recover in time for Tulsa, once again Woods is clearly upending expectations.

Woods signified his desire to play at the layout where he won the more recent of his four Wanamaker Trophies - in 2007 - when playing a practice round at Southern Hills two weeks ago. His playing partner that day - the Southern Hills head pro Cary Cozby - was certainly impressed.

"Everything is so smooth with him now. His rhythm is great, he hit it straight and plenty far; he pitched and putted it great," Cozby said.

"I know guys can hit it past him now, but watching him work was amazing. He's so meticulous, detailed and immersed in what he's doing. He was very inquisitive on lines and the best angles.

“I think he can contend. He's like Michael Jordan late in his career, playing defence and hitting jump shots. Whoever wins here is going to have to be a great chipper and he is still that."

Curtis Strange, the two-time major champion, believes Woods’s feat in Georgia last month was “surreal”, but now figures that this time Woods will not be satisfied by merely making the weekend.

“We look back on it and it was fortunate he saved his leg,” Strange said. “He was fortunate to be alive, and there he is trying to play Augusta, and he did. When he just teed it up on Thursday I thought it was a victory of sorts, and I think he mentioned that as well.

“Then when he made the cut, I just thought it was terrific; terrific that he tried, terrific that he gave it an effort, terrific that he played pretty well for not playing in such a long time.

"I think he was pleased for the week, I really do, that he found out what he could do. And now he, not only we, will expect a lot more out of himself as well. I really do."

And another two-time major winner in Andy North believes the warm weather will suit the 15-time major winner. "He's had another five weeks or so to work on his body and get stronger," North said. "It's going to be warmer, which he likes. I thought that the cold weather on the weekend [at Augusta] really did a disservice to him.

"Southern Hills is not the easiest walk in the world, but it's not like Augusta. I think overall he's probably in a better place than he was the Thursday before the Masters. It will be interesting to see if his play indicates that."

Meanwhile, England’s Paul Casey withdrew from the US PGA - just like he did the Masters - because of his recurring back problem. There are 16 months until the next Ryder Cup and there is ample time for Casey, the world No 24, to return to the heights that have made him such a valued member of the Europe team. But at 44, Casey’s injury list is concerning.

On the PGA Tour, Korea’s KH Lee retained his Byron Nelson Classic Trophy, shooting a 63 for a 26-under total in Dallas to beat Jordan Spieth by a shot. It was a fine prep event for Spieth as he tries to become just the sixth male player to complete the career grand slam.