Tiger Woods says his back is in better shape but “still has a long way to go” and “is not competitive right now” as he prepares to return to action at the PNC Championship.
Woods, a 15-time major champion, will play alongside his 15-year-old son Charlie for the fifth time in the annual 36-hole parent-child event in Florida, live. Sky Sports During Saturday and Sunday.
The 48-year-old underwent surgery in September to relieve “back spasms and pain” after making just 11 appearances since a career-threatening car accident in February 2021 that also severely injured his right leg.
Woods opted not to play in the Hero World Challenge – a tournament he hosts – earlier this month and admitted there were times when he thought he might miss out on teaming up with his son as well.
Speaking on Friday, ahead of his first tournament since the Open at Royal Troon in July, Woods said: “My leg is the same. It’s still here. But this year I’ve struggled a lot with my back and it’s much better.” But I still have a long way to go.”
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Regarding the possibility of withdrawing from the PNC Championship, Woods added: “I have had moments.
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Charlie Woods Sr. helped Tiger out in the field before the final round of The Masters at Augusta National in April
“That was one of the reasons I had to have the surgery earlier, so hopefully I can give myself the best chance of being with Charlie and being able to play.
“I’m not competitive right now, but I just want to be able to experience it again.
“This has always been one of the highlights of the year for us as a family, and now we can have that moment together again.
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“Getting ready for competitive play is different. It takes months and weeks. But it starts every day. You just have to do the little, mundane things right, and it will add up.”
“Unfortunately I’ve been through this process several times. It’s frustrating. I have a great team but I have to do the little things on a daily basis and away from everyone. It’s tough.”
Woods: Schaeffler will have an incredible year
Woods handed the World Champion Challenge Trophy to Scottie Scheffler after the world number one claimed his 16th win in less than three years by successfully retaining that title in the Bahamas.
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Highlights from Round 4 of the Hero World Challenge as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler retained the title
Schaeffler has won nine times in 2024 alone, including a second major at the Masters and an Olympic gold in Paris, with Woods believing his fellow American’s success will continue.
“I think it’s just been that consistency over the last couple of years,” Woods said of Scheffler. “He moves a lot in his swing, but if you watch that ball flying, it doesn’t really do much.
“He has a great feel for hitting the ball the right number. It’s just an innate thing.
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“I think it’s how he’s handled the pressure and the expectations… He’s doing an unbelievable job. He’s just starting to develop himself. That’s the fun part of watching him develop. This is going to be the start of an unbelievable year.”
“We can all make mistakes, we can all have fast starts. But how good is your bad? Everyone is good out there, but his bad is really impressive.”
“He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and he understands how not to multiply mistakes. Not making mistakes makes them bigger.”
Watch the PNC Championship live Sky Sports Golf During the weekend. Saturday’s coverage begins at 4pm and Sunday’s events begin at 4.30pm. Broadcast the tournament with NOW.
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