Six months after ankle surgery, Woods is nearing his return to action.
Tiger Woods (48, USA), the “Emperor of Golf,” has been seen taking a full swing for the first time in six months. It was his first since undergoing ankle surgery after withdrawing during the third round of the Masters in April. Woods was seen swinging a short iron on the short par-3 course, raising hopes that he could return to the field as early as this year. The Tiger Woods Foundation posted a video on its website on Monday of Woods teeing off on the Hay Course, a par-3 course in Pebble Beach, California. The course was designed by Woods himself. Wearing long pants and a short-sleeved shirt, Woods demonstrated a full swing with a short iron. “Woods has been releasing videos of his injuries and returns to the field,” said one expert who watched the video, “and while his right leg still seems to be bothering him, it’s only a matter of time before he returns.” Woods participated in a golf lesson event organized by the Tiger Woods Foundation last month, demonstrating putting and chipping. But Woods, who was wearing a compression brace on his right leg, did not take a full swing. On Aug. 8, Woods reportedly played a few holes with his son, Charlie, while observing the Tiger Woods Junior Invitational organized by his foundation at the same venue.
Woods, who made the cut but did not finish this year’s Masters, which was played in inclement weather, underwent surgery on April 20 to repair the fibula in his right ankle. It is the site of a lingering injury from a car accident in 2021. Woods has never given a timetable for his return to the field and has rarely spoken publicly. In August, 먹튀검증 Woods was appointed to the policy board of the U.S. Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour, which has been under fire for working with the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF) behind LIV Golf. At a golf lesson event last month, when asked for tips for amateur golfers to keep in mind, Woods said, “You need to stop watching YouTube and actually hit the ball.”
Woods’ first full swing of the clubs today is expected to be at the PNC Championship, a family golf event in December. The PNC Championship, a PGA Champions Tour event, is a two-day tournament that pairs 20 of the world’s greatest golfers with their families. Woods made a high-profile return to the event with his son Charlie in 2021, 10 months after his car accident, and he also participated last year. He’s able to get around in a cart, and his partner can take his shots for him. If Woods’ rehabilitation goes much faster than expected, there’s a chance he could play in the Hero World Challenge, an unofficial PGA Tour event. Hosted in the Bahamas by the Tiger Woods Foundation, the tournament begins Nov. 30 local time and features a field of 20 or so of the PGA Tour’s top players invited by Woods. Woods is tied with Sam Snead for the all-time lead on the PGA Tour with 82 career victories, having won the Jozo Championship in Japan in October 2019. Woods’ miraculous victory at the Masters in April of that year gave him 15 majors. He is now second on the all-time major wins list behind Jack Nicklaus, who has 18. Woods has often said, “The desire to break the record for most major wins is still there.”