Tiger Woods has a lot to prove to a lot of people as he returns to competition today after a 10-month long absence. However, there are two people he would like to impress more. His long-term injury problems (and other problems) have meant that his daughter, Sam (age 10), and son Charlie (8) have only seen him in action in old videos on the internet, rather than seeing him live on the golf course.
“I never thought my kids understood what I’ve been able to do in golf, because they always think I’m the YouTube golfer,” Woods said in an interview with Sky Sports.
“They’ve never really seen me in action. Charlie was there when I won at Akron [en 2013], but he doesn’t remember, he was too young. Most of the things they’ve seen have been video highlights and they’ve never seen what I can do on a golf course.”
Referring to his recovery after the surgery he underwent in April, Woods said this week’s tournament would be a “big step,” but that he has to be patient. “I don’t have pain in my back anymore, but I have some stiffness,” he told the BBC. “I’m still learning what my body can and can’t do, so just give me some time.”
“Let me play this tournament,” he added, “and see what I can and can’t do, and we’ll all understand it better once I’m up to game speed. I’m looking forward to seeing how I feel. There’s still some apprehension going forward and this week is a big step for me. Last year I was still struggling with the pain. It felt like I was playing in slow motion, I didn’t realize how bad my back had become. It’s been a slow and degrading process.”
“The best thing for me is being in bed, grabbing a stick and not having to use it as a crutch. That’s so exciting for me. I’m so grateful to have had this procedure and gotten to this point.”
Woods will play today with Justin Thomas in the first round of the Hero World Challenge, an 18-player invitational tournament in the Bahamas.
Competitors:
Hideki Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari
Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell
Patrick Reed and Daniel Berger
Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood
Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods
Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka
Kevin Kisner and Rickie Fowler
Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth
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