(Reuters) – Tiger Woods stated on Wednesday he was not recovering as shortly as he would really like from the leg accidents he sustained in a automobile crash final February but remained confident about returning to the PGA Tour someday and welcomed the battle it might take.
Woods, who’s host of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational this week in Pacific Palisades, California, that advantages his TGF Foundation, continues engaged on strengthening actions but has not labored critically along with his lengthy golf equipment.
“My golf exercise has been very restricted. I can chip and putt rather well and hit brief irons very nicely, but I have never executed any lengthy stuff critically,” Woods, 46, informed reporters at Riviera Country Club. “I’m still engaged on the strolling half… it takes time.
“What’s irritating is it is not at my timetable. I would like to be at a sure place, but I’m not. I’ve simply received to proceed working. I’m getting higher, sure, but as I stated, not on the
pace and charge that I would really like.”
Woods was a non-playing host final yr at Riviera the place, two days after the ultimate spherical, the automobile he was driving veered throughout the other lanes, collided with a highway signal and rolled a number of instances earlier than coming to relaxation.
The accident resulted in a three-week hospital keep for Woods, throughout which he confronted the potential for having his proper leg amputated, adopted by three months the place he was confined to a hospital-type mattress at his house in South Florida.
‘WEEKEND WARRIOR’
In his first public look for the reason that accident, Woods stated final November forward of the Hero World Challenge the place he was match host that he had no need to be a full-time participant on the PGA Tour once more but hoped to play right here and there.
Two weeks later, Woods competed along with his 12-year-old son in a laid-back, 36-hole staff occasion that includes main champions and a member of the family the place the state of his recreation impressed onlookers.
Woods, whose tally of 15 career main titles trails solely the 18 gained by Jack Nicklaus, stated taking part in along with his son in an occasion the place rivals used carts did not make him suppose a comeback was across the nook.
“Being a weekend warrior is simple, that is not that tough. Hit your ball, hop in a cart, journey, barely step out of the cart, seize your membership and hit the subsequent one,” stated Woods. “I can try this, that is not that tough, but strolling a golf course, that is a completely completely different deal.
“Then strolling out right here for days on finish, lengthy days. Don’t neglect when my again was unhealthy, after we had rain delays and had to reactivate the whole lot and return on the market once more. I’ve still received that problem, too. I’ve received a protracted way to go.”
DAILY FIGHT
Woods capped one of the crucial exceptional comebacks in skilled sport when, on the age of 43, he gained the Masters in 2019 after enduring years of surgical procedure and private issues that satisfied many the very best golfer of his technology was executed.
With the Masters seven weeks away, Woods was requested whether or not he would play within the standard Par 3 exhibition held at Augusta National Golf Club on the eve of the yr’s first main.
“I can try this now,” stated Woods. “Whether I try this or not, I do not know.”
Woods stated he still had not been ready to ramp up work on his lengthy recreation given the extra loading and torquing of the leg required to accomplish that.
“My leg was not in an excellent place there a few yr in the past and I’ve had to work by means of a whole lot of completely different operations and a whole lot of completely different eventualities,” stated Woods.
“It’s been robust, but I’ve gotten right here, I’ve gotten this far and I still have a protracted way to go. Each and on daily basis’s a battle and I welcome that battle. Get up within the morning, let’s go just a few extra rounds.”
Woods, whose 82 PGA Tour wins are tied for probably the most all-time, made clear that his aggressive taking part in days had been not over.
“Will I come again? Yes. Will I come again and play a full schedule? No,” stated Woods.
“I can play sure occasions right here and there but on a full-time degree, no, that can by no means occur once more.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; modifying by Clare Fallon)
