Woods, preparing to host the event outside America for the first time in 19 years set aside all optimism and said, “There is no timetable”. But if I can’t because of whatever going forward, if this back doesn’t get to where I need to get it to, then I don’t see how you can win majors if you are not prepared.
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He insists his hope is to resume his career and “get after it with these guys”, but he also acknowledged that any good golf from now on would be “gravy” on top of a career that saw him ranked number one in the world for 623 weeks. They covered topics ranging from his greatest joy on the golf course to chipping sessions with Seve Ballesteros to his family.
Asked about his return, he told a press conference: “I have no answer for that”.
“If I was a betting man, my money would be on him sitting on a buggy and not having his clubs anywhere near Hazeltine, not just on fitness but on form as well”, says BBC golf correspondent, Iain Carter.
“And so, that’s part of the initiative – “Hey, it was my fault, too”.
“It’s more important for me to be with my kids. I’ve come to realize that now”.
Read that last sentence again, and tell me that you ever thought those words would come from Woods’s mouth.
But after complaining of discomfort, Woods was forced to go back under the knife at the end of October, a follow-up procedure he admitted had been a “surprise”.
Woods had two operations to alleviate pain from a pinched nerve.
I can already see commentators like Dan Jenkins, who’s simply a racist, and John Feinstein and Brandle Chamblee of the Golf Channel calling Woods’ career a disappointment. Whether I was in a slump and playing very bad and won the ’01 Masters, or I’ve had knee surgery and [they said] I’ll never come back again, I was done there.
Asked what he would have done differently before and after the scandal in his personal life, Woods said he would have had a more open, honest relationship with his wife.
For the longest I gave Tiger the edge over Nicklaus, but his recent struggles are nowhere near the level of Nicklaus’ poor stretches.
“He still has one of the best minds in the game”. We’re able to pick up the phone, and we talk to each other all the time. The same Tiger Woods whose 2015 season made us cringe far more times than we care to remember.
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The tone in Woods’ voice invited questions of different kinds insinuating his playing days might be over sooner than later – an nearly unprecedented notion in a sport where its legends have to be practically dragged off the stage.
