Tiger Woods: His Future Is Uncertain But He’s Still Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is coming back to professional golf.

We don’t know when.

Tiger Woods is going to follow the model set by Ben Hogan, after he survived a horrific car crash in 1949 and eventually won six major championships in the following years — the 1950 U.S. Open, the ’51 Masters and U.S. Open the ’53 Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship.  That in and of itself has to be great motivation for Tiger.

“I have the recipe for it — come off a long layoff and win — I just have to be comfortable with it,” Woods said of following the Hogan model — a much, much lighter schedule with emphasis on the majors.

Still, Tiger has endured 10 surgeries prior to the L.A. crash — five on his back, five knee surgeries.

Yes, Tiger Woods is coming back to the world of competitive golf — somehow, some way, he’ll battle his way back — it will be a tough, tough road but then, after all, he’s Tiger Woods.

Tiger opened the door for his return when he first spoke to Golf Digest then followed it up with a sit-down presser Tuesday morning in Albany where he’s hosting his Bahama-fest, also known as the Hero World Challenge.

It’s been nine months or so since Tiger mangled his right leg in that solo traffic accident outside L.A.  Don’t ask him what he remembers about the accident — he’ll shut that right down.  “It was all answered in the investigation,” he said quickly when asked about it yesterday.

There are more questions than answers regarding Tiger and his possible return to competitive golf.  He himself reiterated that he’s got a long way to go before that happens.

“This one (recovery) has been much more difficult — hard to explain.  I was immobile for three months. A lot of hard work — from wheelchair to crutches to walking.  I’m on the better side of it,” he said of his recovery process.

Then the big question — how long?  “As far a playing at Tour level, I don’t know how long it’s gonna be.”  Woods did say he’s played some actual holes, but not from the back tees. “Play it forward (USGA slogan) yeah.”  He also said he’s chipping and putting.  But he also warned:  “I don’t foresee this being ever what it used to be — the clock is ticking, I’m getting older.  The rehab isn’t fun — the challenge is.  Maybe one day I can come back and compete against the best players in the world.”

Tiger still has that short game confidence:  “I can chip and putt with any of those guys,” he said quickly.  The issue is the right leg.  “I can get my leg to that point where decisions can be made (to compete).  Right now I don’t have the endurance to stay out there (chip, putt, hit wedges) a long time.”

Tiger said the important thing in this is his hands are good, the feel is there and that’s a good start.

As far as the crash? “Well, I had friends that insulated me from a lot of things that were said.  People are going to poke and prod — I understand that.  Just stay away from my family!”

Fair enough.

So the watch begins.  At the end of the day, it’s important to be very, very realistic.  There are already odds (50-1) for Tiger winning the 2022 Masters.  That’s an aggressive ask.  Can’t see that.

What we can see is Tiger possibly coming back for The Players in May or perhaps the Open Championship in July.

The speculation will now get hot and heavy.

For now, let him be.  He’s got a lot of serious physical rehabilitation in front of him.

It will take a while just to be able to walk 18 holes in one day, much less 18 a day for four days, not counting the work put in for practice rounds.

That’s a lot, if you haven’t done it lately, just try it.

Then imagine what Tiger’s got in front of him.

Let’s be fair on this.

But yes, he’s still Tiger Woods, that guy with a flair for the extraordinary.