Speaking ahead of a tournament that he hosting in the Bahamas, but is unable to play in following his latest back operation, Tiger Woods offered one of the most bleak forecasts of his future career as a professional golfer.
The 39 year old, who is currently in the midst of recovering from a third operation on the same area of his back, said that had no idea ‘if or when’ he will be able to play competitively again.
Previously given to over-enthusiastic responses to the state of his health and his form, reading between the lines of the latest reports from the Woods’ camp speak of man who is slowly coming to terms that his 20-year career might well be coming to an end.
When asked about a timescale for any return, Woods replied: “I have no answer for that. Neither does my surgeon or my physio. There is no timetable. That’s the hardest part for me. There is nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build towards. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don’t know.”
Woods, who has had three operations on his back in the space of just 19 months, and hasn’t played a tournament since August, also admitted the extent to which he can exercise, which hasn’t included any golf activity at all. “I walk,” said the 14-time major winner. “And I walk and I walk some more. I am also really good at playing video games. That’s basically how I pass a lot of my time.
“I have to reset the clock every day and say, ‘Here we go, this is a new day. Lets take it for what it is.’ I listen to my surgeon, I listen to my physios and we just take it day by day. Hopefully the day by day adds up to something positive here, soon.”
Woods is spending this week in the Bahamas, where his foundation is the tournament host of the Hero World Challenge. He has already been named as a vice-captain of the US Ryder Cup team next September, as his prospects of making the team through the normal qualification channels are close to zero.
“I’ve had a pretty good career for my 20s and 30s,” he said. “For my 20 years out here, I think I’ve achieved a lot, and if that’s all it entails, then I’ve had a pretty good run. But I’m hoping that’s not it. I’m hoping that I can get back out here and compete against these guys. I really do miss it.”