Things are definitely looking up

Woods said he was pain free and that is a piece of great news for the industry

TIGER Woods returned to competitive golf last weekend and vividly illustrated to the world of sport that he still has the game to mix it with the best.

He played in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, an event from which his charity foundation benefits, and was one that had a top-class field and several of the best players in it.

At the end of it all, there were no real signs that he struggled or was hindered by any painful or aching body parts.

On the contrary, the former world number one and 14-time Major championship winner put in a performance that left many a pundit – and some of his detractors – to openly note that he looked rather “sharp”, albeit with a 75 third round thrown in.

He opened with a three-under 69, followed that up with a 68 and closed out the tournament with a last-day four-under 68. the third day waywardness aside, Woods could well have finished in the top five – instead of signing for a tie for 9th.

Notwithstanding this, those three sub-70 rounds are what got tongues wagging and generated honest optimism of what might lie ahead for Woods.

Indeed, there was great anticipation that marked the comeback after a nine-month absence, forced by an injury layoff. And like a couple of the other times when he took a bow after injury, Woods exhibited enough to give notice that he could win if he gets a good run of playing time under his belt.

Thus, the billion dollar question is whether his fitness can hold out. At the Albany, the luxury development in the Bahamas where he and a handful of other global stars own property, Woods drove the ball as far and as good as he has for some time now. He also paraded flashes of a putting stroke that made him one of the game’s best ever.

And if there was some concern over the total package, then it might have been his short game, which did appear to be rusty at times. Then again, this could be fixed, given some time to work on it.

But can his body hold out and can he stay free from serious injury? He said he hoped so. And most of the world of golf hopes so too. Woods said he was pain free and that was the important thing.

The issue of where he was headed next inevitably popped up. And such was the positive energy derived from his showing that talk immediately turned to the US Masters next April.

He told the media they were “going to figure out what’s the best way” and “build a schedule for the Major championships.

“Where I’m going to start, how much I’m going to play, rest periods, training cycles” – they (Team Tiger Woods) are going to work all that out and then move from there.

The Masters will certainly be a key target in Woods’ schedule of 2018 – if he stays fit.

He’s won it four times and is listed among his favourite events. It would also be a good stepping stone for him to resume his chase for jack Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18 Majors.

These days, most of the leading pros pen their schedules around the Major championships – and it’s something that Woods is credited with starting.

It’s also worth noting that if Woods does play the Masters, or any of the Majors or big tournaments for that matter, their ratings soar dramatically.

Rickie Fowler, winner in the Bahamas, is also one of the game’s best and he too will be hoping to see Woods at Augusta National.

Indeed, the whole of the golfing world would look forward to that. After all, there is no bigger drawcard in the game than Woods.