Tiger was thinking of packing up playing

TIGER Woods (right) has admitted he had doubts he would ever make it back to competitive golf as he prepares to play in the Hero World Challenge this week.

Woods, who hosts the event at Albany, will be playing in his first event in 15 months following his latest injury-enforced lay-off but said yesterday he had contemplated retirement at times as he felt so far from making a comeback.

“There was a lot of trepidation and times where I did think of retirement because it was realistic,” Woods said.

“Not being able to get out of bed, not being able to move, how can I expect to come out here and swing a golf club at 120 miles an hour and be ballistic when I can’t even get out of bed?”

The 14-time Major winner had surgery on his back last year and said he found the injury much more difficult to deal with than the knee problems which had plagued him previously.

“When I had my knee redone and it was completely blown, I knew it was nine months, but I knew I could come back from it. It’s not nerve damage,” he said.

“When you’re dealing with a spine, when you’re dealing with nerves, it’s a totally different deal. Talking to Davis Love III, Davis had his neck fused. He had tingling down his arm, he couldn’t feel his fingers anymore. That’s, you know, your career could be over. He had it fixed, came back and won again last year.

“So there’s a lot of guys who have had injuries like that and have come back and done well and have won golf tournaments.”

Woods will take his place in an 18-man field in this week’s event, facing the likes of defending champ Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson.

The 40-year-old admitted going for victory would be a tall order but he is simply looking forward to playing again.

“I’m going to try to do the same thing I always do,” he said. “I’m entered in an event, I’m going to try to win this thing.

“I know Bubba went low, shot 25 under last year. That’s going to be a tall order. I haven’t played in a while. But hey, I’m going to give it my best.”

A EUROPEAN Tour event will return to the Philippines for the first time in 23 years after being added to the 2018 schedule.

The Philippine Masters will be a co-sanctioned event with the Asian Tour after a three-year deal was signed with businessman Salvador Zamora’s Tranzen Group, following the announcement of the strategic alliance between both tours in the summer.

“The Philippine Masters further increases the playing opportunities for our members, and strengthens our strategic alliance with the Asian Tour,” said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.