Encouraging. This is how Tiger Woods’ game can be described in his return, this weekend, to the competition after more than nine months of absence due to physical and personal problems. With a total score of 280 strokes (8 under par) in the Hero World Challenge, played at the Albany Club on the Bahamian island of New Providence, the Californian has shown that his talent is intact and that, if his back does not give him problems again, he could soon be back to the high level that characterized him before the four surgeries he has undergone in recent years.
Woods shot four rounds of 69, 68, 75 and 68. He played at a high level, with the exception of Saturday, when he shot a +3 in a round with five bogeys.
On Sunday, the winner of 14 majors returned to good play with six birdies and an eagle. A double bogey on 10 and bogeys to finish on 17 and 18 prevented him from completing his performance in an even more brilliant way.
During his closing round Woods was accompanied by Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal, who closely followed his friend’s return.
The 41-year-old California golfer was sidelined from competition due to a back injury that has forced him to undergo surgery four times since 2014 to try to alleviate the chronic pain he suffers.
The winner of this 18-player invitational tournament went to Ricky Fowler, who predicted a good future for Tiger: “If his back is good and he keeps up this swing there’s no doubt he can go out and win,” said Rickie Fowler, who added: “Tiger will still have that effect of when you see his name on the boards on the back nine and you realize he’s in the fight. You know he’s not afraid because he’s done it before, he’s been there before.”
“Excited.”
Tiger, the great protagonist of the tournament, said he was “thrilled” with the result of his return to competition. “I had the adrenaline going again and, in general, I am very satisfied. I knew I was going to be able to play all four rounds and that was not going to be a complication. The problem was what result was going to be on my card, how I felt, how do I get used to that adrenaline again now that for the first time it has come back in a long time. The problem was what the result was going to be on my card, how I felt, how do I get used to the adrenaline of competing.”
Regarding his participation in upcoming tournaments, Woods said he has not yet planned his schedule: “We’ll sit down and figure out where I’m going to start the season and how much I’m going to play, as well as rest periods and training cycles.
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