Tiger Woods Rules Out Full-Time Return to golf

 

Tiger Woods has ruled out a full-time return to professional golf but says he still plans to play tour events while recovering from a life-threatening car accident.

Woods spoke about his progress and remaining ambitions in the sport, a week after he posted a short clip to his official Twitter account of him hitting balls on a practice track.

The 45-year-old had to undergo surgery for open fractures to his right lower leg and further injuries to his foot and ankle after the single-vehicle accident in February, and said at one point he feared his leg could be amputated.

Woods had recovered remarkably from back surgery to win his 15th major title at the Masters in 2019, but effectively dismissed the possibility of a repeat, telling Golf Digest: “I don’t need to compete and play against the best players in the world a to have a great life.

“After my spinal fusion, I had to climb Mount Everest one more time. I had to do it, and I did it.

“This time I don’t think I’ll have the body to climb Mount Everest and that’s okay. I can still participate in the game of golf. I can still, if my leg is okay, click off a tournament here or there.

“But in terms of climbing the mountain again and getting all the way to the top, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation of mine.

“I think something realistic, playing the tour someday  never full-time, never again — but pick and choose, just like Mr. (Ben) Hogan did. Pick and choose a few events a year and play around that.”

Woods, who was found to be nearly twice the legal speed limit when he crashed, was hospitalized for weeks before returning to his Florida home, where he continues to undergo extensive rehabilitation.

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“It’s been a great road, it’s been a long and painful road, but I’m making some really positive steps,” Woods added.

“I’ve had some really tough days and some setbacks here and there, but overall everything is going well. I wish I could do everything I used to do, but I’m not quite there yet.’

Referring to his fear that his injuries were so severe he could lose his leg, Woods added: “I wouldn’t say it was 50-50 but it was damn close if I walked out of that hospital with one leg . .’

Woods will hold his first press conference since the accident at the Hero World Challenge event in Albany on today