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BETHESDA, Md. -- About two dozen photographers lined up in a row on the range Tuesday at Congressional, a reminder that golf is different when Tiger Woods is around. And that was before Woods even arrived to hit balls for 35 minutes. He was last seen wearing golf shoes on March 9, when he walked gingerly off the golf course at Doral with back pain that had been bothering him off and on since August 2012 and finally reached a point that he chose surgery over playing two majors. Woods returns at the Quicken Loans National with big hopes and realistic expectations -- and with no pain. Asked for an opening comment on where he is with his recovery, Woods smiled and said, "Im right here." "Its been an interesting road," Woods said. "This has been quite a tedious little process, but been one where I got to a point where I can play competitive golf again. And its pretty exciting." Dressed in black, with shoes the company colours of his new endorsement deal (MusclePharm), Woods turned the routine into news. After each booming tee shot, he casually walked forward a few paces, stooped to pick up his tee and to reload for the next shot. Woods, who had back surgery on March 31, said the British Open was his target all along. He was candid in saying he might not be playing the Quicken Loans National -- this is the first year for a new title sponsor -- if it did not benefit his foundation. Thats not to suggest he is coming back too early. Woods said he has been in constant contact with doctors and trainers as he slowly expanded his swing from chipping and putting to irons to wedges, all the way through the bag until he started swinging the driver a few weeks ago. He tried to add 10 yards of distance every couple of days, taking a break and getting treatment on days it didnt feel quite right. When he started putting, he would fill the holes on his practice green with sand to keep from bending over to pluck the ball out of the cup. When he felt strong enough to play, he said he would ride while standing on the back of the cart to avoid too much sitting. Woods always has said he doesnt play if he doesnt think he can win. Thats still the objective, sprinkled with some reality. It will have been 109 days without PGA Tour competition when he tees it up Thursday morning with Jordan Spieth and Jason Day. "Expectations dont change," Woods said. "Thats the ultimate goal. Its just that its going to be a little bit harder this time. I just havent had the amount of prep and reps that I would like. But Im good enough to play, and Im going to give it a go." The British Open is July 17-20 at Royal Liverpool, where Woods won in 2006 after missing the cut in a major for the first time at the U.S. Open. It also was his first major since his father died. Woods collected his 14th major two years later while playing on a shattered left leg at Torrey Pines. He hasnt won another since then, leaving him four short of the standard set by Jack Nicklaus. He cant win if he doesnt play, so this would be an important first step. "I think theres always a fascination in terms of watching Tiger play golf and the run that hes been on throughout his career and what he still has to achieve in terms of his goals," Justin Rose said. "I think golf will get really exciting if he starts winning a couple more majors and the race to 18 becomes incredibly on again. I think thats incredibly exciting for the game of golf and will draw a lot more interest in the game once again." Theres already more interest. Organizers said ticket sales were double what they normally are on a Friday before the tournament, the day Woods announced his return. This is the second time in four years that Woods has missed a three-month portion of the season because of injuries. He played only nine holes from April to August in 2011 while letting his leg injuries fully heal. The difference this time was his lifestyle. Woods said he couldnt function in the weeks leading to his microdiscectomy surgery at the end of March. "Anyone that has had any kind of nerve impingement, its not a joke," he said. "That part was relieved as soon as I got out of the surgery. That nerve impingement, that pain that I was feeling going down my leg was gone. "Ive heard numerous people talk about it, and Ive had people come up to me and say they had the same procedure and got their life back and thats basically how I felt. I was able to do things, and do things that I normally took for granted." Woods jokingly said he broke 50 when he played at home, just like he did when he was 3. "My prime is coming up," he said. He has looked like an old 38 in recent years because of injuries and surgeries, though he is learning how to gauge his training. He recalled his younger days when he would run 30 miles a week, even if he was hurt, unaware the damage he was doing to his body. "I have to now pick my spots when I can and cant push," he said. "Before, when youre young, I just pushed it all the time. But now Ive got to listen to my body, listen to my therapist and then get treatment. When I was younger, I didnt need it." Cheap Air Max 95 Wholesale . -- Michael Phelps is 0 for 1 in his comeback to the pool. Air Max 720 Clearance http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.com/cheap-lebron-james-shoes.html .com) - Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 12 points in the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats 70-55 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Best Fake Air Max 97 . The 48th-ranked Williams made her first appearance in Dubai since she won her second straight title here in 2010. Shed missed the last three years either because of injury or Sjogrens Syndrome. Kyrie Irving Shoes Friends . Whenever United loses, its crisis. 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The predictable reaction speaks to the sky-high expectations for a team proven perennial contender and 13 times Premier League champion.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Los Angeles Kings gathered at centre ice while the Stanley Cup was lowered from the scoreboard, and they watched their championship banner raised to the rafters in a stirring pregame ceremony.Those good feelings were largely gone by the time the Kings stumbled back to their dressing room after a blowout loss to the San Jose Sharks, who seized the chance to erase a bit of last seasons bad memories.Tommy Wingels scored two goals, Antti Niemi made 34 saves in his 28th career shutout, and the Sharks crashed the Kings Stanley Cup banner celebration with a 4-0 victory in the season opener Wednesday night.The pregame celebration was the only thing that went according to plan for the Kings, who commemorated their 26-game playoff run to their second title in three years. After the standing ovations and celebrations, San Jose largely dominated the Kings in the first two periods with superior puck possession and movement.Thats just an excuse, Kings captain Dustin Brown said. Weve been there before. ... There are worse problems to have, so its one of those things that goes with the territory. That wasnt why we were sloppy. We were sloppy because we didnt prepare properly.Los Angeles started its playoff charge with a seven-game, first-round victory over the Sharks, who went through an off-season of rigorous self-evaluation. San Jose stripped the captaincy from Joe Thornton and parted ways with defencemen Dan Boyle and Brad Stuart.Yet little else changed about the perennial playoff team, and the Sharks returned in their usual regular-season form.Its been a long summer, thinking about this game, Wingels said. When the schedule came out and we saw that this was our first game, the media loved it, the fans loved it, and we as players loved it, too. Theres not a better way for us to start the season, and for us to be able to come in here and have this kind of success, its a big win.Patrick Marleau had a goal and an assist. Wingels and Matt Nieto scored 14 seconds apart in a three-goal second period that sent the Sharks to their NHL-best fifth straight season-opening victory.Niemi withstood a two-man advantage for the Kinngs in the final 1:07 of the third period.ddddddddddddLosing the way we lost to them, we waited a long time for today, Niemi said. I think weve gained a little bit (of ground) on them (in the off-season). Were more hungry and we really want to do the details right this time.The home team had won 20 of the last 22 games in this rivalry before this one-sided win by the Sharks, who were an interesting choice of opponent for the Kings celebration night. San Jose had a 3-0 series lead in the first round before the Kings stormed back to win the series in seven games, becoming the fourth NHL team to rally from such a deficit.The Sharks stayed in their dressing room while the Kings celebrated their second championship with an on-ice ceremony starring the Stanley Cup, which was lowered from the scoreboard in a glass case.Former Kings Marcel Dionne and Rogie Vachon then brought out the new banner, and the Kings raised it amid a lengthy standing ovation.The Kings then lost on their banner night for the second time. Chicago beat Los Angeles 5-2 in January 2013.I thought the mood in the room was good, but it didnt translate once the game started, Kings defenceman Alec Martinez said. You cant come out like that against a hockey club of this calibre.Jonathan Quick stopped 23 shots for the Kings, but was replaced by Martin Jones in the third period.Wingels put the Sharks ahead with a sharp-angled shot in the first period. Marleau then redirected Brent Burns shot during a power play early in the second, and Wingels scored again on a breakaway moments before Marleau caught Quick dawdling behind his net and got the puck to Nieto.NOTES: D Brayden McNabb made his Kings debut in place of injured Jake Muzzin. Los Angeles acquired McNabb in March from Buffalo, where he played 37 games over two seasons. He beat out Jeff Schultz for a roster spot in training camp. ... Sharks D Mirco Mueller looked good in his NHL debut after making the roster in training camp. The 19-year-old Swiss prospect was San Joses first-round pick in 2013. ... Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers and middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin attended the festivities. ' ' '