Woods: I want to play golf again

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May 24, 2017

Tiger Woods has made it clear he’s determined to play professional golf again, although he admits he doesn’t know when that will be.

The former World No 1 went into more detail on his withdrawal from the Masters earlier in the year and his decision to undergo another back surgery, as well as his prospects for a return to the game.

In a new post on TigerWoods.com, Woods said he was left with no choice but to go back under the knife.

“I could no longer live with the pain I had,” he said. “We tried every possible non-surgical route and nothing worked. I had good days and bad days, but the pain was usually there, and I couldn’t do much. Even lying down hurt. I had nerve pain with anything I did and was at the end of my rope.

“I did everything I could to play at Augusta and was ready to go. Unfortunately, it was kind of like the 2008 U.S. Open. The pain was post-impact when I swung the club,” Woods added. “I figured, ‘Can I handle it?’ This time the answer was, ‘probably not.’ That shows the effect nerve pain can have.

“Obviously, it was a huge disappointment not to play. I hate to miss any major, especially the Masters, but the reality is I just couldn’t play.”

There was at least some good news for Tiger, who said his surgery was a success. It has made him more determined than ever to return to golf.

“It was instant nerve relief. I haven’t felt this good in years,” he said. “I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again.”

Woods ended with admitting there was still a long road ahead.

“Presently, I’m not looking ahead. I can’t twist for another two and a half to three months. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me. I am concentrating on short-term goals.

“There’s a long way to go, but as I said, words cannot convey how good it feels to be pain-free.”

Tiger Woods