By Joiner Martínez
Nov 28, 2023, 11:09 PM EST
The golf world celebrates that after almost eight months without playing, Tiger Woods is back on the course to compete in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, the tournament sponsored by his foundation together with the Indian company Hero MotorCorp.
Woods said he has no pain in his right ankle and is not worried about walking 72 holes this week as he returns to competition for the first time since surgery in April.
“My game is rusty from not playing,” Woods said. “I’m excited to compete and play and I’m as curious as all of you to see what happens because I haven’t done it in a while.”
Woods, who turns 48 on December 30, is playing competitively for the first time since undergoing surgery in April on the right ankle of the same leg that was severely injured in a car accident in 2021.
“I don’t have any of the pain I had at Augusta or before that in my ankle,” Woods said. “Other parts are taking most of the load, so I’m a little more sore in other areas.
“But the ankle is fine, so the operation was a success.” The 82-time PGA Tour winner has not played in an event since he withdrew from the third round of the Masters last April due to plantar fasciitis. “I’ve played a lot of holes,” Woods said.
Asked if he can still win, Woods replied: “Absolutely.”
The golfer said he could play as much as once a month in 2024, likely starting at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, which benefits his charitable foundation, and flowing into the majors. “The best scenario would be maybe one tournament a month,” he said.
Woods said he is not considering serving as U.S. captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup, citing his duties on the PGA Tour Policy Board trying to finalize a merger deal with LIV Golf’s Saudi sponsors.
“There is too much at stake on our circuit to think about a Ryder Cup right now,” he said. “We have to get it. We have to be focused on this.”
Woods will start Thursday in the opening round alongside compatriot Justin Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner.
Keep reading:
Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake opened luxurious sports bar with the “largest” TV screen in New York
Gareth Bale joins Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry as guest stars in PGA Tour 2023 golf video game
Inveterate gambler: Golfer Phil Mickelson bet more than $1 billion, according to book