Tiger’s message of hope raises more doubts over career

GOLF: Tiger Woods hopes to play a full 2018 schedule, at the same time declining to commit even to competing in February’s Genesis Open, which is run by his foundation.

Writing a year-end blog on his website on the eve of his 42nd birthday, Woods was generally upbeat about the condition of his surgically-repaired back, but what he did not say was perhaps just as significant.

‘One way or another, I will be at Riviera,’ the 14-time major champion wrote of the annual PGA Tour event played on the famous course in southern California.

‘It’s such an historic site and the course will always have special meaning for me. That’s where it all started back in 1992 when I played in my first PGA Tour event at age 16.’

Woods (above) made his latest comeback in December at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, eight months after undergoing a spinal fusion.

‘I would love to play a full schedule in 2018. What that entails, including back-to-back events, I don’t know,’ Woods added.

‘I wish I knew where I was going to play and when – it’s a lot easier to prep for that – but we really don’t know.’