( CNN ) -- The road back to the top of world golf is proving to be a long and arduous one for former world No . 1 Tiger Woods . But a legend of the game has seen enough in the 14-time major winner 's recent game to suggest he is closing in on his best form . Ahead of the annual PGA Tour tournament he hosts at the Bay Hill Club in Florida , seven-time major champion Arnold Palmer warned the field at this weekend 's event to be wary of a revitalized Woods . Woods still a force in video-game world . `` I 'm watching him swing and I 'm watching him play , and I see some moments of the old-fashioned Tiger that are very good , '' the 82-year-old Palmer told reporters . `` So you know , if I were making a prediction , I would say , look out , because one of these days , he 's going to come back and play pretty good golf . '' Woods has been plagued by knee and Achilles injuries in recent years , as well as going through a high-profile divorce after details of his extra-marital affairs emerged in late 2009 . But , having slipped outside the world 's top-50 rankings in October last year , he won the unsanctioned Chevron World Challenge event he hosts in December and then finished tied for third at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January -- his debut event for 2012 . However , the 36-year-old was hampered by an Achilles complaint at the recent World Golf Championship event at Doral , where he pulled out midway through the final round . There were initial fears the injury could force Woods out of the Masters , where he has worn the fabled Green Jacket on four occasions , but those concerns were allayed when he played in the Tavistock Cup earlier this week . Woods played a practice round at Augusta on Sunday , before pulling up while preparing for the Arnold Palmer Invitational -- which he has won six times -- after being distracted by a photographer during his downswing . `` I guess one of the so-called professional photographers took a picture right in the middle of my downswing , '' Woods told reporters . `` I stopped it , and then felt a pretty good twinge in my back . `` I walked it off and then tried to hit one down there , hit it in the fairway , but it did n't feel very good . But after a couple of holes it loosened up and I 'm good to go now . '' Woods has been paired with U.S. Ryder Cup teammate Hunter Mahan and three-time major winner Ernie Els for Thursday 's first round at Bay Hill and he is feeling confident after his outing at the Tavistock Cup . `` That 's one of the reasons why I played Tavistock , '' he said . `` It felt great at Augusta , and that was the test . I played Tavistock because of that test , and here I am ready to go . ''
Arnold Palmer says Tiger Woods is showing signs of returning to top form . Woods is playing in the annual Bay Hill tournament Palmer hosts this weekend . The four-time major winner has not played since winning his first title at last year's U.S. Open and will be without a caddie for the second time this year after he was hit by lightning on Sunday. major winner Woods has been hampered by an Achilles injury in recent times . The American has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on six occasions .