Tiger Woods says his back is better, but he “still has a long way to go” and is “not competitive right now” as he prepares to return to action at the PNC Championship.
Fifteen-time major champion Woods will play live for the fifth time alongside his 15-year-old son Charlie at the annual parent-child event in Florida. Sky Sports on Saturdays and Sundays.
The 48-year-old underwent surgery in September to alleviate “back spasms and pain”, having made just 11 competitive starts since a career-threatening car crash in February 2021, which also seriously damaged his right leg.
Woods refused to play in the Hero World Challenge, a tournament he is hosting earlier this month, and admitted there were times he thought he might miss out on the team with his son.
Speaking on Friday, Woods said: “My leg is the way it is. It’s still here. But I’ve struggled a lot with my back this year. But I’ve got a long way to go.”
Tiger: road to recovery ‘difficult’ and ‘frustrating’
Woods added about the possibility of pulling out of the PNC Championship. “I had moments.
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Charlie Woods helped dad Tiger to the range ahead of the final round of the Masters at Augusta National in April.
“That was one of the reasons why I had the surgery earlier, to hopefully give myself the best chance to be with Charlie and play.
“I’m not competitive now, but I just want to experience it again.
“This has always been one of the highlights of the year for us as a family and now we get to spend that moment together again.
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“Preparing for a competitive game is different. It takes months. It starts every day. You just do the little things, the routines, and they add up.
“Unfortunately, I’ve been through this process a few times. It’s frustrating. I have to do the little things every day and it’s hard.”
Woods: Scheffler has an incredible year ahead of him
Woods handed the Hero World Challenge trophy to Scotty Scheffler after the world No 1 secured his 16th victory in less than three years by successfully retaining the title in the Bahamas.
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Hero World Challenge round four highlights as world #1 Scotty Scheffler retains title
Scheffler has won nine times in 2024 alone, including a second Masters at the Masters and Olympic gold in Paris, and Woods believes his American’s success will continue.
Woods said of Scheffler. “I think it’s just that consistency over the last couple of years. He’s been moving his swing a lot, but if you watch that ball fly, it doesn’t really do much.
“He has a great feel for hitting the ball right. It’s just innate.
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“I think the way he’s handled the pressure and the expectations … he’s doing an incredible job. It’s going to be a fun part of his development to watch.”
“We can all make mistakes, we can all have hot streaks. But how good is your bad? Everyone’s good is good, but their bad is really impressive.
“He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, he understands how not to make enough mistakes. Not making mistakes adds up.”
Watch the PNC Championship live Sky Sports Golf throughout the weekend.Saturday’s coverage begins at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday’s action begins at 4:30 p.m. Stream the tournament with NOW!
