Tiger says he’s practising well, back for Hero event in December
>> NEW YORK: Tiger Woods, the 14-time major champion sidelined by back injury for the past 14 months, says he is practising well and will return to competitive golf in December.
Woods, appearing on Thursday night on “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” said he will launch his latest comeback at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on Dec 1-4.
“I’ll be t here,” Woods said. “I’m playing.”
The 18-player event hosted by Woods is owned by his charity foundation. Woods made a similar return from injury at the event in 2014 when it was played in Orlando, Florida.
Woods had said l ast month he would make his return at last week’s Safeway Open on the PGA Tour in Napa, California, but later withdrew from the event and the Turkish Airlines Open next month, saying his game was not yet ready for competition.
Woods, a former world No.1 who has plunged to 802nd in the rankings while idled, told Colbert his game is improving well.
“I’m not quite there, where I feel like I can shoot 63s and 64s in tournaments,” Woods said. “I’m shooting the low rounds at home. But I just don’t quite feel as quite ready to shoot those type scores under tournament conditions.”
Woods, who turns 41 in December, underwent back surgery twice last year.
Woods has won 79 PGA Tour titles, three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, and is four shy of the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus.
Woods said on the Charlie Rose show last week that he intended to pass Nicklaus’ total.
Woods gave an enigmatic response when first asked whether he felt he could reach Nicklaus’s mark of 18 majors.
“To be honest with you, no,” Woods replied. But asked if he accepted that eventuality, he added: “I’ve accepted I’m going to get more.”
When pressed later on whether he meant he still plans to break Nicklaus’s mark, Woods responded: “Correct.”
He added: “You know, I miss being out there. I miss competing. I miss mixing it up with the boys and coming down the stretch.”
Woods has not won a major since his victory at the US Open in 2008, and has not played competitively since August 2015.
Earlier this month, Woods was a vice captain for the triumphant US Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine. He has been named an assistant captain to Steve Stricker for next year’s Presidents Cup.