Tiger adapts to age, toll on body in comeback bid

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Tiger Woods looks toward the 2017 golf season with hope his injury woes are behind him and the second act of his career might have echoes of its sensational start.

Woods completed his comeback event from a career-longest 16-month layoff following back surgery Sunday at the Hero World Challenge, settling for 15th place after playing 72 holes in four-underpar 284 at Albany Golf Club.

The 18-man invitational at the remote Bahamas enclave where Woods is a member is far less of a challenge than regular PGA events will provide, much less majors.

And older Woods is a far different player than the Woods of old, who captured 14 major titles starting with the 1997 Masters and to date ending with the 2008 US Open.

Woods has had to make subtle changes to his swing during his layoff to protect his back, using patterns from his younger days as a guide.

"I looked like the size of a 1-iron and I could hit it and I could really move the ball," Woods said. "I probably never will be as loose and as Gumby-like (flexible) when I was that young, but there are other things I can learn from that."

Woods has to be wary of back issues. Even kicking around a football with his children "is certainly dangerous because you're not activated."

"If I'm activated and I can prepare for something, then I'm fine. It's the unexpected (that's dangerous). When you have back issues like most of us do out here, it happens." 'There's no way in hell' With his 41st birthday approaching on December 30, Woods has changed his workout regimen to allow for the toll time and past injuries have taken on his body.

"I can't do what I used to do," Woods said. "My first probably five, six years on tour, I ran 30 miles a week. I would run five, six miles almost every day, at least four. Before a round, after a round, it didn't matter.

"There's no way in hell I'm doing that now. That's just aging. That's just I've had four knee surgeries, three backs. My body has been through it."

Weightlifting the way he once did is no longer an option either.

"I don't load the spine like I used to," Woods said. "I'm trying to do other things to gain strength. I don't have any problem with suppleness and flexibility, but I also need to have stability."

After a round, Woods now takes extra time to help his body recover.

"It probably takes me close to two or three hours to do everything with my physio," Woods said. "And cold tubs and ice are never fun. But got to do it."

That wouldn't keep him from a trip to the practice range after playing 18 holes, but time has changed what he would do there.

"I'd be smart about it and warm up to a driver," Woods said. "But I could do it." - abscbn