The query in recent times has turn into when Tiger Woods will play once more.
Nicely, the query is once more surfacing after his newest again surgical procedure. He had microdecompression surgical procedure on his decrease again Sept. 13 to alleviate nerve impingement and again ache and hasn’t performed competitively for the reason that Open Championship at Royal Troon in July, the place he missed the lower.
The preliminary subject record had three open spots on it for this week’s Hero World Problem, Woods’ occasion within the Bahamas. Nonetheless, final week, Massive Cat confirmed he wouldn’t be within the subject.
In previous years, the Hero has been a take a look at website for Woods following surgical procedures to find out the place his physique is at and get some aggressive reps. Not the case this 12 months.
That begs the query: when will Tiger tee it up once more? He stated in 2024 he needed to play as soon as a month, and he ended up making 5 begins: the Genesis Invitational and 4 majors.
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Right here’s a prediction of after we’ll see Woods play within the close to future.
As famous, he’s not teeing it up within the Bahamas this week, however the PNC Championship is way completely different than strolling 72 holes of golf. It’s a 36-hole hit-and-giggle the place Tiger might depend on son Charlie if he doesn’t wish to exert his again an excessive amount of and hit each shot. And he will get to experience in a cart. Group Woods has performed yearly since 2020.
It is a stretch, for certain. Tiger hasn’t performed in a non-major, sans the Genesis Invitational and Hero World Problem, since 2020. However Torrey Pines is a spot Tiger loves, and if he needs to attempt to play as soon as a month nonetheless, why not return to a spot he’s conversant in and has dominated at?
One other one among Tiger’s tournaments, Riviera has additionally been an occasion Woods has made an effort to play in, even round his surgical procedures and recoveries. Final 12 months, Woods withdrew within the second spherical due to an sickness. But when he can play, he’ll be at Riviera.
One other stretch. You’d have to return to 2019 to search out the final time Tiger performed at TPC Sawgrass, however 2025 might be the 12 months he makes his return to the place he has received twice, particularly if he has a objective to play competitively as soon as a month.
Tiger is a five-time winner at Augusta Nationwide and has tied the report for consecutive cuts made on the Masters (24). In 2025 he might take the report all for himself. Of any match he needs to be ready for, that is the one, so anticipate Tiger to be as prepared and in as aggressive form as attainable in order that he can head down Magnolia Lane.
The PGA Championship returns to Quail Hole, the place Tiger received the Wachovia Championship in 2007. He’s additionally a four-time PGA Championship winner, and the hotter Charlotte climate in Could must be good for his physique.
Woods completed T-2 in his one U.S. Open at Oakmont Nation Membership in Pennsylvania. He has referred to as Oakmont some of the troublesome programs on the planet.
Woods has performed one time at Royal Portrush in 2019, lacking the lower. The Open’s climate situations are the roughest on his physique, but when Woods is ready to play all the above occasions, his aggressive form can be extra on par than what he has handled in previous years, so there’s an opportunity his physique might maintain up higher.