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NASSAU, Bahamas -- At precisely 1:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, you could sense it was happening again.Not just from the modest gallery here at the Hero World Challenge, which roared with approval as Tiger Woods holed a greenside bunker shot for his fourth birdie in five holes. No, it was bigger than that. The energy, the electricity. It was emanating from all directions.For the third time in three days, Woods was whipping the masses into a frenzy, evoking memories of the old Tigermania days, when the mere sight of his name on a leaderboard would captivate that ever-expanding audience. He pummeled drives deep down the fairways. He rolled in birdie putts with the greatest of ease.For the second time in those three days, though, the frenzy dissipated just as quickly as it had blossomed.Woods parlayed a 4-under front nine into just a 2-under 70 that concluded with a double-bogey after he found the water hazard with his second shot on the final hole. It mirrored his opening round of two days earlier -- his first competitive round in 466 days -- when he turned a 3-under front nine into a 1-over 73 by making doubles on two of the last three holes.The immediate reaction might be to criticize Woods for these struggles down the stretch. After all, he has spent so much of the past three days looking eerily similar to the player who has won 14 major championships that its easy to forget just how rusty hes supposed to be.Of course, any critical analysis of Woods performance this week is a point severely missed. This is a man who a year ago believed his playing career might be over, a man who just seven weeks ago postponed his scheduled return to competition because he deemed his game too vulnerable.Those masses might have been intrigued about Woods return and just how much success he could have right away, but nobody was as curious as Woods.When asked after the third round whether he has already exceeded his own expectations, he admitted to not setting any tangible goals for the week.To be honest with you, I didnt really have much, because I didnt know, he explained. I hadnt played in a very long time, and I didnt know what I was going to feel like after each round. I didnt know what kind of lies on the draw, Id probably hit some bad shots into some of these bushes. What happened to [Justin Rose, who withdrew with a back injury] could have easily happened to me. A lot of things. I dont know. I didnt know coming in.Oh, he talked a good game. In his pretournament interview session with the assembled media, Woods reverted to his old form and suggested that anything less than a win would be a disappointment.Winning, though, was never going to be the theme for this week. As it stands, Woods is 11 strokes behind leader Hideki Matsuyama, who appears to be running away with the title.Doesnt matter. This week is going to be considered an enormous success for Woods, whether he climbs into the top-5 by the end of Sundays final round or drops into the lower-third of this 17-man field.He hasnt shown any visible pain from those three back surgeries which kept him sidelined for so long. His swing has looked both controlled and powerful. His putting stroke, armed once again with the Scotty Cameron flatstick that won him 13 of those 14 majors, looks smooth and confident. He has carded 19 birdies -- more than one-third of the holes he has played.All of which should be considered a win as he heads toward one more round and takes that momentum into the 2017 campaign.Im very pleased to be back and to be able to compete at this level again, Woods said. Its been a very, very difficult road. You guys [in the media] were all here last year, and I did not feel very good. I was really, really struggling, and I struggled for a very long time. Worked with my physios and had to be very patient and was finally able to start building -- and here we are.Where he is isnt where he wants to be. Not yet, at least.The competitor in Woods wants to win tournaments again, regaining his prominence among the worlds best players. The realist in him, though, understands that this was never going to happen immediately. Custom Eagles Jersey China .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Custom Eagles Jerseys . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. http://www.customeaglesjersey.com/ . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Andre Dillard Jersey Large .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Wholesale Custom Eagles Shirts .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Cincinnati BengalsOverall: 59 Title track: 75 Ownership: 57 Coaching: 74 Players: 57 Fan relations: 98 Affordability: 58 Stadium experience: 95 Bang for the buck: 11 Change from last year: +28The Bengals have steadily gained more respect over the years as they continue to post winning seasons, as seen by a 28-point jump in these standings. These are not the losing Bengals of the 90s anymore; they win, and they win often. But until they can prove they can do it in the postseason too, theyll likely remain in the middle of the franchise rankings.Whats goodDespite five straight playoff berths, the Bengals continue to remain one of the most affordable tickets in the league. Their average ticket price last season was around $71, cheaper than all but eight teams in the NFL. (Added bonus: A $5 beer is the cheapest in the league.) They also hold training camp at their facility, meaning fans in Cincinnati can see them for free in the summer. For a team that has consistently put together winning seasons, its one of the best value buys a fan could get.Whats badFans say the stadium -- ranked 95th in the Ultimate Standings -- has little character andd feels like an ode to concrete.dddddddddddd Although it was built in 2000, its been quickly passed up with 14 new stadiums built since then (and No. 15, the Falcons new stadium, on the way) and now feels a little dated in some ways. Theres hope for 2017, though: Last year, the Bengals put $20 million in improvements into their stadium, including new HD video screens, and this year added a field-level bar that faces the Bengals locker room.Whats newThe Bengals ownership preaches loyalty and consistency -- theyve stuck with coach Marvin Lewis for 14 seasons -- and so far that has paid off. The team rarely brings in splashy free agents, instead choosing to build through the draft, selecting future Pro Bowlers A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert, Andy Dalton, Geno Atkins, Vontaze Burfict, Carlos Dunlap and Andrew Whitworth. The Bengals havent been able to translate that to success in the postseason yet, but theyve quietly become one of the leagues most consistent and stable franchises. Fans havent missed that: They gave the Bengals owners a 38-spot bump this year.Next: Tampa Bay Buccaneers?| Full rankings ' ' '