RORY: IT’S NOT THE SAME WITHOUT TIGER

RORY McILROY has said golf without Tiger Woods ‘does not bear thinking about’ after the 14-time major champion admitted he does not know when he will play again. Woods (left) announced before today’s Hero World Challenge tournament hosted by his foundation in the Bahamas that he does not know when he will make his return. The former world No 1 has been out since August and has not yet started rehabilitation work after undergoing a second back operation in two months in October. Asked about his return, Woods, who will be 40 on December 30, said: ‘I have no answer for that. Neither does my surgeon or my physio. There is no timetable. There is nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build towards. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don’t know.’ Woods’s comments have led to speculation that his career may be coming to an end, but he has received words of support from world No 3 McIlroy. The Northern Irishman posted a photo of the pair together on Instagram, along with the words: ‘Wishing my idol and friend a speedy recovery. Golf without him doesn’t bear thinking about.’ Woods acknowledged that any future success would be a bonus on top of a career that saw him ranked No 1 in the world for 623 weeks. He said: ‘I think pretty much everything beyond this will be gravy. If that’s all it entails, then I’ve had a pretty good run.’ Now ranked at 400, Woods added: ‘It’s just taking it day by day and week by week. It’s different from any of the other surgeries and procedures that I’ve had. For nerves, there are really no timetables and therein lies the tricky part. It just depends on how the nerve heals and how it settles. ‘I listen to my surgeon, I listen to my physios and we just take it day by day. Hopefully the day by day adds up to something positive soon.’ Woods said his decision to become a vice-captain for Davis Love on the 2016 US Ryder Cup team was not related to his playing future. Referring to the Americans’ response to the 2014 defeat by Europe, he said: ‘When I was asked to be part of the task force and I committed to that, all the guys on the conference call know what my feelings are about the Ryder Cup and how I want to be a part of it. I told Davis, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do”.’