Tiger Woods, appearing at a clinic ahead of his foundation’s Nexus Cup at New Jersey’s Liberty National Golf Club, was back chipping and putting after not being seen with a golf club in hand since undergoing subtalar fusion surgery on his injured right leg following the Masters in April.
The 47-year-old was forced to withdraw after the third round at Augusta National having equalled the record for 23 straight cuts made at the famed Georgia venue, but though limping slightly throughout the duration of the 20-minute video posted from Liberty National, the appearance has reignited hopes that we may see the 15-time major champion back playing competitive golf sometime in 2024.
Whilst we didn’t get to see Tiger taking any full swings – and we can safely assume that he’s too early in his recovery to do so – he did hit several one-handed chips and, along with Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris, answered several questions about what amateurs should be doing to try to improve their game.
The most important thing? “Don’t watch f**king YouTube,” Woods said after the moderator had dropped the name of the video sharing platform into the conversation, “go hit balls.” Woods’ sentiments were backed up by both Fowler and Zalatoris, before Woods then added: “Now, everyone is indoors simulating everything, and the problem is that you hit into a net or a simulator and you never see what the ball is actually doing.”
Tiger’s previous on-course sightings since Augusta have all been whilst accompanying son Charlie in various tournaments, but though it’s neither been confirmed nor denied, it seems unlikely that Tiger’s recovery will put him on course for another PNC Championship appearance alongside Charlie or to tee it up at the Hero World Challenge which Woods hosts in the Bahamas.
The Genesis Invitational, which Tiger also hosts, at L.A.’s Riviera Country Club is a possibility but the likelihood is that the Masters in April is the event he’s most keen to participate in and a 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta National would make him the outright record holder.
🚨🐐☢️ #WATCH Tiger Woods was on the range at @LibNatGolf this morning with Rickie Fowler & Will Zalatoris. #NexusCup (Via: @EastsideGolf) @TWlegion | @ZalatorisLegion | @RickieLegion pic.twitter.com/Mk4PvYDau7
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) September 12, 2023
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