(Reuters) - Tiger Woods seemingly dispelled doubts about his participation in this week's Players Championship in Florida when he arrived on Monday and declared he was in fine fettle.
Woods pulled out of last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational citing a neck strain, which raised the possibility that he might also miss the PGA Tour's flagship event.
But it seems his decision to skip a tournament he has won eight times was more precautionary than the result of a serious problem.
"I feel good," the 14-times major champion told Golfweek as he left his vehicle at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, three days before the first round.
"I needed last week off... I didn't want to push it."
Woods has won the Players Championship twice, most recently in 2013.
A spinal fusion nearly two years ago resurrected a career that had been in danger of coming to a premature end.
Woods last played at the WGC-Mexico Championship, where he finished equal 10th on Feb. 24.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by Ken Ferris)