Tiger’s Ryder Cup return caps amazing comeback season

WASHINGTON: Playing in the Ryder Cup will be the culmination of an amazing comeback season for Tiger Woods, one the 14-time major champion feared might never happen after back surgery.

The 42-year-old American has shown flashes of the form that made him golf ’s dominant player in younger days in his first campaign after spinal fusion surgery, a last-gasp operation to try and extend his legendary career.

“It was a last-ditch effort,” Woods said. “I tried everything else because fusion is the lastditch effort and nothing beyond that. So didn’t know what my playing career would be like. This is all uncharted territory.”

So far, Woods’ performances are steadily improving and the medical charts are showing no back issues after years of nagging problems.

Woods has hit drives longer than his youthful days, led the British Open in the final round in July, finished second in last month’s PGA Championship and fired a 62 earlier this month, his lowest US PGA opening round since the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic.

And the former world number one achieved his goal of securing a Ryder Cup captain’s pick from Jim Furyk, who pulled him from a planned assistant captain’s role after seeing the quality of his game.

“Deep down, I wanted to make the team. I really wanted to play on it,” Woods said.

Woods still hasn’t won a major since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t won any event in more than five years, but has rediscovered the joy of playing after fears it might never happen again.”

Now Woods, who had 79 career PGA titles, hasn’t given up his quest to reach the record 18 major wins of Jack Nicklaus or Sam Snead’s all-time PGA mark of 82.

Woods, whose first major title came at the 1997 Masters, has seen huge support from crowds at events, his amazing shotmaking at an older age sparking roars and cheers rivaling those of his youth.

And, Woods says, people can relate more to fighting back pain than superb golf heroics.