Since his serious accident earlier this year, Tiger Woods has left golf fans everywhere without a hint about his future in professional golf.
That finally changed on Monday.
In an exclusive interview with Golf Digest’s Henni Koyack, Woods revealed that he has been thinking about his playing future less than a year after a single-car accident left the 45-year-old with significant injuries to both of his legs. While he’s willing to admit that playing on the PGA Tour full-time is out of the question, the 15-time major champion did say that he thinks its realistic to come back and pick specific events that he wants to play in.
“I think something that is realistic is playing the Tour one day—never full time, ever again—but pick and choose, just like Mr. (Ben) Hogan did. Pick and choose a few events a year and you play around that,” Woods said from his South Florida home during a Zoom interview with Koyack. “You practice around that, and you gear yourself up for that. I think that’s how I’m going to have to play it from now on. It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s my reality. And I understand it, and I accept it.”
NEW: Tiger Woods on his playing future:
“Playing the Tour one day—never full time, ever again—but pick and choose, just like Mr. Hogan did…a few events a year…It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s my reality. And I understand it, and I accept it.”https://t.co/Qa7YV31biy
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) November 29, 2021
The interview is the first time that Woods has said something that explicit about a return to competitive golf. Unsurprisingly, many golf fans received the comments as welcome news.
Big event Tiger is still better than no Tiger! https://t.co/HUcXQM2IQB
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) November 29, 2021
Very happy to see Tiger happy.
Wish him all the peace in however he chooses to go about resuming playing golf. He has given the game more than enough. https://t.co/1GbO4LTOIU
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) November 29, 2021
Still the 🐐. I can’t wait to see 🐅 win a few more. https://t.co/yRaJbu3qfb
— Nation Hahn (@NationHahn) November 29, 2021
Woods did make sure to temper expectations by talking about what he thinks he could accomplish in a limited fashion on the PGA Tour. The 45-year-old admitted that it wouldn’t be realistic for him to become one of the best players in the world again in the future.
“I don’t have to compete and play against the best players in the world to have a great life. After my back fusion, I had to climb Mt. Everest one more time. I had to do it, and I did. This time around, I don’t think I’ll have the body to climb Mt. Everest and that’s OK. I can still participate in the game of golf. I can still, if my leg gets OK, I can still click off a tournament here or there. But as far as climbing the mountain again and getting all the way to the top, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation of me.”
— Ethan Budowsky (@ethanbudowsky) November 29, 2021
Tiger Woods: “I can still participate in the game of golf. I can still, if my leg gets OK, I can still click off a tournament here or there. But as far as climbing the mountain again and getting all the way to the top, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation of me.” https://t.co/20eiJQb2cw
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) November 29, 2021
— Jordan Ramirez (@JRAM) November 29, 2021
Woods didn’t give an exact timeline on his return to competitive golf but he recently posted a video of him swinging a golf club again.
That means fans might not have to wait long to see him back in action.
The post Golf Fans React To Tiger Woods’ Playing Future Admission appeared first on The Spun.