Tiger Woods last won a golf tournament in 2013 at the Bridgestone Invitational, and last won a major at the 2008 U.S. Open when he won a dramatic title in a playoff while playing on — more or less — one leg.
Since his Thanksgiving-weekend drama in 2009 that led to his divorce, and a bevy of other stacking injuries such as his incessant back pain, Woods hasn’t been the same. And many a comeback attempt has seen Woods missing cuts and walking off the course due to injury woes or for other factors.
Most recently, after considerable attempts at rehab and consultation, Woods finally elected to have fusion surgery on his back — a move he hopes will eventually put an end to the recurring back-related injuries that have kept him from consistently playing golf.
On Monday, on Woods’ website and blog, the 14-time major champ addressed the issue of when he will make his next comeback try.
“I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again,” Woods wrote. However, he was sure to slam on the breaks before giving any kind of solid timeline.
“Presently, I’m not looking ahead,” he continued. “I can’t twist for another two and a half to three months. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me. I am concentrating on short-term goals.
“I want to thank my doctors for their great work and support throughout this process. I also want to thank the fans for your phenomenal support. It means more than you know. There’s a long way to go, but as I said, words cannot convey how good it feels to be pain-free.”
Since 2009, prior to the scandal, Woods has won just eight golf tournaments in eight seasons — he won 71 tournaments in the 14 seasons of golf he played prior.
He will turn 42 years old in December.
