Tiger Woods is playing a lot of golf Reporting from Orlando, Fla. - Seven consecutive days of golf on a troublesome Achilles' tendon? Forget that. Now, Tiger Woods tells us, he'll be looking at his eighth day on a course by the time he tees off for the final round of this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. "You guys don't know I played Augusta on Sunday," Woods said after Wednesday's pro-am round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Augusta National, with its rolling countryside, certainly has the capability of putting Woods' tender left Achilles' under a stress test. The side trip came seven days after the golfer withdrew seven holes short of the finish at Doral, and two days after he was cleared to hit balls again. If there had been any problems, the Tavistock Cup on Monday and Tuesday - and possibly even the Bay Hill event - would have needed reevaluation. "It felt great at Augusta," Woods said, "and that was the test. I played Tavistock because of that test, and here I am ready to go. For a few moments Wednesday, the golfer's back became a matter of concern. A photographer's premature click led Woods to check up his downswing at No. 6, grimacing as a "pretty good twinge" grabbed his lower back. The tightness went away after a couple of holes, and the six-time Bay Hill winner pronounced himself "good to go now." No McIlroy, Donald At first, Arnold Palmer was pleased when a letter from Rory McIlroy landed on his desk earlier this year. The Northern Ireland star - recently dethroned from No.1 in the world rankings - wrote to ask if he could sit down with the 82-year-old legend and pick his brain about a few things. Then came the kicker. It couldn't be at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. McIlroy isn't at Bay Hill this week. "And of course, that made me feel great," Palmer said Wednesday, his sardonic tone drawing laughs from the assembled media. Though the Invitational has attracted 13 of the top 25 players in the world rankings - including Woods and Phil Mickelson - it was the absence of McIlroy and No.1 Luke Donald that prompted Palmer to respond. "Yes, I'm disappointed that they are not here, no question about it," he said. They are the top players on the tour right now in the positions that they are in, and I am disappointed. Palmer also noted that though McIlroy isn't at Bay Hill this week, the letter mentioned that he would put the event on his schedule in future years. "We are doing everything we can to entice them to come and play," he said.