Woods close to comeback

TIGER Woods is swinging a driver without pain, and his agent says doctors have cleared the winner of 14 golf majors to practise without limitations.

Still to be decided is when the 41-year-old former world No.1 can play in a tournament.

“We haven’t even addressed when he comes back to play again,” said Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent. “He wants to play this so conservatively.”

Steinberg said the player received a “good report” last week from doctors who performed fusion surgery on his lower back in April.

Woods posted a video on Twitter on October 7 of him hitting a smooth iron shot. Then on Sunday, he posted a video hitting a driver and tweeted: “Making progress.”

Woods has not played since he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic on February 3 with back spasms. Two months later, he had a fourth surgery on his back in 19 months.

Steinberg said doctors last week allowed Woods “to proceed with no restrictions”, which is when he started posting video of fuller golf shots.

“He has started to hit balls at a more aggressive rate,” he said. “He feels really good, but he’s going to take it slowly. I think he’s excited that he’s not feeling pain.

“That’s what gets him excited, being able to bend down and pick up his kids.

“He’s taking it from wedges and short irons to the longer clubs. But he’s still doing it in a really cautious manner.”

Woods was an assistant captain at the Presidents Cup two weeks ago, and he said then his priorities were to get his health in order, make sure he was pain-free and then wait on word from his doctors. “I’m still training. I’m getting stronger,” he said on September 27. “But I don’t have my golf muscles trained.”

Woods last year returned after 15 months to play in his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, where he finished 15th in an 18-man field. The tournament is in early December. Two spots are available for sponsor exemptions, or to the tournament host, which is Woods.