Return to No. 1 Is in Sight for Tiger Woods ANNES, England - After nearly three years of dishonor and melodrama - a stunning collapse of status, popularity and earning power; a turn as a tabloid luminary; a stint in rehabilitation; a glassy-eyed public apology; leg operations; a divorce; a swing change; and the firing of his coach and his caddie - Tiger Woods can again be the world's top golfer with a victory at this week's British Open. Despite falling out of the top 50 in the world rankings late last year, Woods has won three PGA Tour events in 2012 and swiftly put himself in sight of the top spot, a position he held for 281 successive weeks from 2005 to 2010. To become the world's new No. 1, Woods would have to win this week - ending a victory drought in major championships that dates to June 2008 - and the current No. 1, Luke Donald, would have to finish lower than a tie for third. Nonetheless, Woods, undeniably shamed and seemingly stripped of his once-magical golf powers not so long ago, has at least the opportunity to reclaim some of his former kingdom with four championship rounds that begin Thursday. Asked Tuesday if it surprised him that he had climbed so near the mountaintop, Woods answered flatly, albeit with a smile: "No." He did concede the obvious: things have improved in his professional career. "For a couple years there, I was banged up and missing major championships," said Woods, 36. It wasn't a whole lot of fun. I think I missed four majors just because I was injured. But I figure if I'm healthy, then I can get myself in there, and I've said that if I can continue to put myself there enough times, then I'll win major championships. Woods, a three-time British Open champion, is the betting favorite in a country where gambling on golf is as easy as ordering a pint, even though he has not won the event since 2006 or won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. But he has experience with the golf course, dating to his finish as the low amateur in the 1996 British Open played here. Woods said Tuesday that that showing influenced him to turn pro. "It pushed me toward turning pro versus going back to college," he said. I was still kind of iffy before that. But that gave me so much confidence that I could play at a high level, I could shoot those scores and I could play against the top players in the world on a very difficult track. That hardly erases the memory of Woods's troubles in the two previous major championships this year. After a strong first round at the United States Open in June, Woods faded badly, finishing with rounds of 75 and 73 to end in a tie for 21st. At the Masters in April, he was worse: four rounds over 70 and a tie for 40th. Wrapped around those disappointments are victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in late March, Jack Nicklaus's Memorial tournament in early June and his own AT&T-sponsored event at Congressional Country Club this month. But Woods offered no insight into his continuing inconsistency. "If I knew the answer, I'd tell you," he said. But I don't. I just keep trying to work and keep trying to get better. I've had a few wins, but I've also had a few poor performances. So I'm just trying to get more consistent. That's something I'm looking forward to in the future. On Tuesday, four players who have been ranked No. 1 - Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Donald and Woods - paraded into the news conference room in rapid succession like actors auditioning for a bit part in a television sitcom. The specter of Woods's being No. 1 again came up often. Donald found Woods's 281 consecutive weeks atop the rankings astounding. (Woods has spent a total of 623 weeks at No. "It probably speaks to how good a player he was, that he was able to dominate," Donald said. Even though there are some great players around right now, no one has really come through and started to win consistently at the majors. So I think that speaks to what an amazing run he went on and he's still continuing to try and do.