AT LONG LAST, TIGER’S BACK
Tiger Woods has set the date for his long-awaited comeback and it is two weeks after the ryder Cup, at the safeway open in California.
The 40-year old hasn’t been seen since last summer but after fulfilling his duties as a vice-captain for America’s ryder Cup team at Hazeltine in three weeks, he plans to compete in the first event of the 2016-17 PgA Tour season from october 13-16.
The event is one of three the American hopes to play in before the end of the year, the other two being the Turkish Airlines open on the european Tour in November and the Hero open, an event he hosts in the Bahamasahamas in december.
Not surprisingly for a man an who has undergone threee serious back operations and hasn’t struck a shot competitively since August 23, 2015, Woods marked his announcement with a number of caveats. But he would hardly make his plans pub- lic if he hadn’t received sufufficient encouragement from om his medical team and didn’t think his game would be in shape in a month’s time.
‘My rehabilitation is to the point where i am comfortable making plans but i still have work to do,’ said Woods on his website. ‘Whether i can play depends on my progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go.’ Woo Woods has alongstand standing contractual obligationbiti to play in the safeway open that he hasn’t been able to fulfil because of his injuries. Now it looks as if the sponsors are about to be rewarded for their patience, with all eyes focused on the course situated in the beautiful Napa Valley. Woods admitted after his first back operation at the end of 2014 that he came back too soon but, after two further microdiscectomy surgeries, in August and october last year, he appears to have listened to some timely advice.
‘it could be a fun fall (autumn),’ said Woods.
‘ it has been difficult missing tournaments that are important to me but this time i was smart about my recovery and didn’t rush it.’
The danger at the ryder Cup, of course, has long been that he will be far more of a story than the entire Us line-up put together, and the media team at the PgA of America have been wrestling with how to solve this problem for some time. This announcement, of course, will only add to their dilemma.
As for the wider game, fingers will be truly crossed that he is able to fulfil his commitments as planned. The long-term goal for Woods will be to play in enough events and regain enough competitive sharpness to be ready for the Masters next April.
World No 1 Jason day said Woods had been wise not to make his comeback too soon this time. ‘A couple of times he may have come back too soon and injured himself a little bit more and that’s what’s kept him out so long.’
Woods stands second on the alltime majors list on 14 but hasn’t won any since his memorable victory at the Us open on one leg in san diego in 2008.
Now the most eagerly awaited comeback since Ben Hogan returned from life- threatening injuries suffered in a car accident in 1949 appears to have been given the green light.