Finally ‘pain free,’ Woods focused on rehabbing his back
In a long post Wednesday on his website, Tiger Woods said he remained committed to playing professional golf again.
He just does not know when that will be.
And he’s in no rush to find out.
Woods, 41, had fusion surgery on his back April 19 — his fourth procedure to his back since April 2014 — and will not play on the PGA Tour this season. He was unable to attend last weekend’s Tiger Jam in Las Vegas, an elaborate fundraiser for his foundation. Instead, he continued his rehab in Florida.
The 14-time major champion and winner of 79 PGA Tour titles has not played since he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic on Feb. 3 after an opening-round 77.
He has made three worldwide starts the last two years.
“As for returning to competitive golf, the long-term prognosis is positive. My surgeon and physiotherapist say the operation was successful. It’s just a matter of not screwing up and letting it fuse,” Woods wrote. “I’m walking and doing my exercises and taking my kids to and from school. All I can do is take it day by day. There’s no hurry.
“But I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again. Presently, I’m not looking ahead. I can’t twist for another two-and-a-half to three months. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me. I am concentrating on shortterm goals.”
Woods, who holds the record for most weeks at No. 1 in the world (683) but is now ranked No. 860, said he felt “instant nerve relief ” after his latest surgery.
“I haven’t felt this good in years,” he wrote. “I could no longer live with the pain I had. We tried every possible non-surgical route, and nothing worked.
“I had good days and bad days, but the pain was usually there, and I couldn’t do much. Even lying down hurt.”