TIGER LOOKS LIKE THE HERO OF OLD

TIGER WOODS continued to exceed expectations on his latest injury comeback in the Hero World Challenge yesterday.

Woods added a second round of 68 to his opening 69 for a halfway total of seven under par, five shots adrift of leader Charley Hoffman.

The 14-time major winner underwent spinal fusion surgery in April – his fourth back operation in three years – and began this week a 40/1 outsider in the 18-man field.

Those odds looked faintly ridiculous after Woods birdied three of his first four holes on day two and eagled the ninth in spectacular fashion to claim the outright lead.

Woods also birdied the 11th after a superb chip from a tight lie, but threeputted the next to drop his first shot of the day and also three-putted the par-five 15th for par.

A wayward drive on the 18th led to a closing bogey and a disappointed Woods said: “After that 31 on the front nine I could have gotten a few more on that back nine.

“(But) I proved that the surgery was successful, the rehab has been fantastic and now I’ve got a chance to go out there and play competitive golf again.”

Asked how close he is to getting back to his best, Woods added: “I’m just getting back. I’ve still got a long way to go. That’s going to take time, a lot more practice, a lot more training and more tournaments.”