Last year, legendary golfer Tiger Woods said he wanted to compete in at least one PGA Tour event every month. But after undergoing back surgery earlier this year, it doesn’t sound like that’s going to be a reality anytime soon.
Woods underwent microdecompression surgery on his back to alleviate some pain he was experiencing at the end of last season. But at a press conference ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods confirmed that he still has a “long way to go” before he is ready to compete again.
“I didn’t think my back was going to go like it did this year,” Woods said according to Fox News. “It was quite painful throughout the end of the year and, hence, I had another procedure done to it to alleviate the pain I had going down my leg.”
Woods had previously indicated that he wanted to compete in at least one PGA Tour event each month. But he does not know whether or not he can commit to that given his health.
“So, whether my commitment going forward is once a month, yeah, I could say that all over again, but I truly don’t know,” Woods said.
Woods indicated that he is simply not ready to return to the golf course just yet.
“I’m still not there,” Woods said. “And these are 20 of the best players in the world, and I’m not sharp enough to compete against them at this level.”
This is obviously horrible news for Woods and for anyone who hoped to see him back to full health for his Hero World Challenge, which benefits his foundation.
Needless to say, the news led to a lot of reactions in the comments of the story.
“Annnnd he wont ever be ready. Dude can barely walk, cmon now,” one fan wrote on social media.
“Tiger’s injuries are ALWAYS a bigger issue than he lets on because he never lets on how severe they are, in his mind he feels like he needs that competitive advantage. Sad really but not surprising for a former elite dominant athelete, wish him the best but time always wins,” another fan added.
“These guys don’t want to admit their show horse is done,” someone else said.
“Let him decide how he feels because age still catch on him,” another fan added.
“If Tiger returns to playing competitive golf, will it be to play PGAT or Champions Tour events? Or, just retire,” someone else said.
“Does Tiger have what it takes to come back and win a major?” another fan asked.
Woods turns 49 this month and has been hampered by injuries in recent years. But he continues to insist that “the fire still burns to compete.”
[Fox News]
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