Tiger: ‘Remarkable’ to have no pain
As he prepares for his return to golf, Tiger Woods says his life is 'so much better' now that he's not dealing with constant pain.
Woods will make his golfing comeback at this week's Hero World Challenge on the PGA Tour, a tournament he also hosts, as a member of the elite 18-man field.
The 14-time major champion hasn't played since February, after undergoing back surgery for the fourth time in three years.
It's been a tough, slow recovery – as a May 2017 charge for driving under the influence of too many painkillers clearly shows – but Woods has spent the past six months working on himself on and off the course, and the results appear to have been very positive.
“The fact that I don’t have any pain in my lower back compared to what I was living with for years, it’s just remarkable,” Woods told Golf Channel.
“[At first] I just chipped [driver]. I was like, ‘Yep, I hit driver today'. I’ve progressed over a few days, hitting driver a little hard and harder and harder until it was comfortable enough to hit it full.
"That takes time and the last thing I want to do is have any setbacks.”
Woods admits he's not sure how he will perform this week, but is excited at the possibility of teeing it up pain-free.
“It could be the next step, I just don’t know and that’s tough to live with," he added. "It’s been a struggle for years. To finally come out on the good side of it, it’s exciting. I am stiffer, I’m fused. But I don’t have the pain and if I don’t have the pain, life is so much better.”
As part of his preparation for this week, Woods played a round of golf in the company of US President Donald Trump, World No 1 Dustin Johnson and eight-time PGA Tour winner Brad Faxon on Friday.
“[Johnson is] the No.1 player in the world. He’s been playing, I haven’t been playing,” Woods added. “It’s nice to compare my game to some of the other guys, like Dustin or Rickie [Fowler] or Rory [McIlroy].
"It’s nice to do something like that and compete and have a couple little denominations [a bet] we’re playing for. I like seeing where I’m at.”
Latest
-
European TourCollin Morikawa wins Race to Dubai as Rory McIlroy’s frustrations boil over
The Northern Irishman appeared to rip his shirt open in the recording area behind the 18th green.
-
NewsTiger Woods shares footage of him hitting balls as rehab continues
Woods was injured in a car accident in February.
-
-
European TourRory McIlroy takes one-shot lead into final round in Dubai after shooting a 67
England’s Sam Horsfield is just a shot off the lead, one ahead of Scot Robert MacIntyre.
-
European TourDouble bogey on final hole sees Rory McIlroy slip shot off the pace in Dubai
The round one leader is a shot behind Ryder Cup team-mate Shane Lowry, England’s Sam Horsfield and American John Catlin.
-
European TourI’m on the right path – Rory McIlroy excited about road to next majors challenge
McIlroy is now a combined 148 under par in the £6.6million season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
-
European TourOpen champion Collin Morikawa determined to take chances in Race to Dubai bid
Morikawa had the chance to top the Order of Merit by winning last year’s DP World Tour Championship.
-
European TourRory McIlroy unlikely to change schedule despite new-look European Tour
The European Tour will be known as the DP World Tour from the 2022 season but Florida-based McIlroy will continue to focus on the PGA Tour.
-
European TourPunter’s pointers at the DP World Tour Championship: Course and desert specialists to the fore
It’s the final week of the 2021 European Tour season and the best 50 players of the season are convening at Jumeirah’s Earth Course.
-
European TourJB Hansen wins AVIV Dubai Championship to claim second European Tour title
The Dane finished a shot clear of Italy’s Francesco Laporta and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger.