so much for phil and the gang having a good year
ORLANDO, FL - The Arnold Palmer Invitational's director says he has not been given any indication Tiger Woods has chosen the event for his return to the PGA Tour, though plans have been discussed internally for accommodating any increased coverage.

"We haven't been told anything," Scott Wellington said Thursday. "Hopefully, if it's something factual, we would be the first to know or shortly thereafter. That's where we are at this point."

The New York Post reported Thursday that Tiger Woods is going over plans to play Bay Hill starting March 25, enlisting the help of Ari Fleischer, the former presidential advisor to George W. Bush, to deal with the anticipated media frenzy.

A call to Woods' spokesman was not immediately returned. The golfer's website also contained no information about return plans.

"I read the story," Wellington said, "but I don't know where the information is coming from. Honestly, we haven't been told anything."

Woods completed seven weeks of therapy, reportedly for sex addiction, nearly two weeks ago and has been seen on the Isleworth driving range working with swing coach Hank Haney.

The winner of 14 major championships has not competed since winning the Australian Open in mid-November. He has won the Bay Hill event six times, including each of the past two.

"Tiger has been part of this event for a long time," Wellington said. "We're preparing like we've always prepared _ in this particular case, understanding we might need some additional resources. We've discussed those to the extent that we can."

Bay Hill and the PGA Tour's other two pre-Masters events _ next week's Transitions Championship in Tampa and the Shell Houston Open _ have had conversations with tour officials about extra demands that might be faced in the event of a Tiger Woods return.

One area of concern at Bay Hill, Wellington said, is media logistics. A temporary media center is built over the club's tennis courts but does not have the room to expand for a crush of additional reporters.

Wellington said media requests currently are not much larger than in previous years. That would change quickly, though, once Tiger Woods' plans become known.

The PGA Tour has a 5 p.m. Friday deadline for players to register for the following week's event. To enter the API, Tiger Woods would have to confirm his intention by March 19.

Meanwhile, Mark O'Meara, Tiger Woods' longtime friend, told Golf Channel he "wouldn't be surprised" to see Woods make his return at the Tavistock Cup, a made-for-TV exhibition March 22-23 at Isleworth, Woods' home course.

"It's been a rough road the last three or four months in Tiger's life and his family's life," O'Meara said. "It's a very difficult situation. Golf is what Tiger does, and possibly part of the healing process is to get back at it."
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