Tiger Woods is looking good to make his competitive comeback to golf in January after securing a fifth-place finish alongside son Charlie at the Pro-AM PNC Championship.
The event saw professionals play alongside their children and featured numerous heartwarming moments and great teaching experiences.
Woods has been encouraged by his performance in the two December events which have been the first competitive golf for the 15-time major winner since April ankle surgery.
Woods, who will be 48 later this month, had not competed since the Masters eight months ago before finishing 18th of 20 in the Hero World Challenge two weeks ago.
“A lot of things are aching a lot more than my ankle, which is the way it goes,” Woods said. “I’ll be able to walk and play. We’ve been working out hard, been able to recover.”
On Sunday, Tiger and his 14-year-old son Charlie Woods shot 61 to tie for sixth place in the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida.
They finished the parent-child pairs tournament on 19-under 125, six strokes behind German champion Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason.
Woods struggled to walk four rounds after suffering significant leg injuries in a vehicle accident in 2021, but he now expects to play once a month next year due to a strong comeback.
“We’ve been training every day, which is great,” Woods said. “It has been nice to knock off a lot of the rust and some of the doubt I’ve had because quite frankly I haven’t hit a shot that counted in a long time.
“So having to post a score and hit shots on the right number, hit shots with consequence, it has been nice.”
Woods believes his surgically repaired right ankle, which used to keep him limping through big tournament rounds, is no longer a concern.
“The ankle was fine because it’s now fused, but other parts were definitely aching,” Woods said.
“The fact we were able to train right away and get after it, and start hitting balls, it was encouraging.”
Woods isn’t obsessing over his current status as non-exempt for the US Open.
“As of right now, no, I’m not in,” Woods said. “Whether or not I have to formally ask them or they invite me or give me an exemption, or I have to go qualify, who knows? I don’t know what the process is.”
Woods stated that his return tournaments have given him confidence that he can still strike the golf ball competitively with the best in the world.
“If I’m able to practice and do the things I know I can do, and prepare, I know I can still do it,” Woods said.
“I can still hit the golf ball. It’s just a matter of prepping and get enough reps in and get enough work in and being right physically, and endurance capability of it.
“I haven’t had the leg good enough where I’ve been able to compete and play a lot of rounds.”
Tiger Woods discusses US Open prospect as he provides latest update on injury comeback Golf365.
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