Tiger Woods is acting this week as the host of the Hero World Challenge, the tournament he organises every year in the Bahamas, where he gathers a selection of the best PGA Tour players to close the year. An event where, after his recent physical issues (he underwent surgery in October, marking his seventh back operation in the last decade, and previously suffered a severe Achilles injury), he will not be able to compete, but where he has taken the opportunity to update the media on how he is doing and what expectations he has for the coming year.
Regarding his recovery and a potential return to competition, Tiger said: “It’s not going as fast as I would like. It was something I needed to do and it just takes time and dedication in the rehabilitation process.” The Tiger can now start practising on the course: “I just got cleared last week to chip and putt, so that’s good.” And although he acknowledges that the process “has been slow” because “with a disc replacement you can’t do much until it settles,” he is eager to return: “I would like to just play golf again. It’s been a long time since I played. It’s been a tough year; a lot has happened on and off the course.”
Woods has not committed to a specific date for returning to the PGA Tour: “I don’t know if I’ll be ready for the Genesis. I’ve just started chipping and putting, working in the gym, and beginning the process. A disc replacement takes time.” And although he knew his last surgery was inevitable, he doesn’t pinpoint a specific moment regarding the ailment: “There wasn’t a specific moment when I knew; it just got worse. I had an MRI and it didn’t look very good, so we decided to operate.”
What will Tiger do when he is recovered? This month he turns 50, so he could make the move to the Champions Tour, although it doesn’t seem that the senior tour is in his short-term plans… “Yes, I’ll probably play about 25 tournaments on both circuits and I think that would cover almost the whole year, wouldn’t it?” he initially joked. Later, he admitted: “I just want to play again; let me do that and then I’ll decide what schedule I’ll have. I’m still far from that kind of decision and commitment. I don’t know if the Champions Tour is realistic. I need time to see how my back and body respond.”
The Californian delved into aspects related to future changes in the PGA Tour: “We are trying to give fans the best possible product. If we achieve that, the players, who have a stake in the Tour, will also benefit. It could be a great economic boost for everyone. We’ve talked to sponsors, CMOs, tournament directors, media partners… We’ve taken into account what everyone wants to see. Then it’s up to us to try to fit it all together.”
Tiger acknowledged that they are starting from scratch: “We started with a blank sheet: what would the best possible product look like? And we started filling it with thousands of ideas. There will be some ‘broken eggs’ along the way, but I think in the end we’ll have a much better product for everyone. Simplicity is key. We have to simplify the FedExCup points structure so that not only the players understand it, but also the fans. Scarcity scares a lot of people, but I think if it’s managed at a certain level, it will be better: it will generate more attention because there will be less time.”
In his tournament, this Hero World Challenge, the current World Number One, Scottie Scheffler, is the favourite, a player towards whom Tiger is full of praise: “There’s nothing not to admire about Scottie. He’s one of the nicest guys you could meet and what he’s doing on the course is incredible. His consistency day after day, his strategy, how he analyses the course from the green backwards… it’s amazing how well thought out everything is. I love watching him hit irons: the effects he imparts, the trajectories, the distance and spin control… it’s very fun to watch.”
Woods also referred to the new generations reaching the elite of world golf: “There’s a generational shift. The game has become younger, stronger, faster, and bigger. You used to have to spend four or five years on the Tour to gain experience and pay your dues before winning. That model no longer exists. The kids come out of college —or even earlier— ready to win. I think YouTube has a lot to do with it. I used to record video tapes and pray the tracking worked. Now you can watch thousands of swings on your mobile.”
The Californian has shared a couple of insights about his son Charlie‘s college ‘recruitment’ process: “It’s very different now: coaches can constantly communicate by mobile. You used to receive a letter and it was exciting. Now it’s a different world. For me, it’s fun to be part of the process with Charlie and see the opportunities he has earned himself.”
Tiger also confirmed that he will not be able to “play the first rounds of TGL” in January, but that he will be “at all the matches where Jupiter Links competes.” And finally, he spoke about his personal involvement in the PGA Tour and his motivation: “The PGA Tour gave me the opportunity to pursue a childhood dream. I hit my first ball in a circuit tournament at 16 and have been involved ever since. Before, I could make an impact with my clubs; now I can do it in another way, for future generations.”
