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Tiger Woods has confirmed his astonishing comeback to golf will continue after walking off the 18th hole at Augusta to a standing ovation on Monday (AEDT).
Woods laboured through the final round of The Masters, at times using his golf clubs as walking sticks as he shot 6-over in his famous red shirt.
That gave him a total tournament score of 13-over, more than 20 shots back from tournament leader Scotty Scheffler, but just making it through the four rounds was a monumental triumph for Woods after a horrific car crash in February last year looked likely to end his career.
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The achievement was met with a standing ovation from the gallery that was every bit as special and significant as the roars he’s ignited at Augusta during some of the most famous victories of his career.
And in a heartening interview following his round, Woods revealed his comeback would continue at hand-picked events this year, confirming his return to St Andrews, the ‘home of golf’ where he has won two of his three career Open Championships.
“I won’t be playing a full schedule ever again,” Woods said.
“And so it’ll be just the big events. I don’t know if I’ll play Southern Hills (venue of May’s PGA Championship) but I am looking forward to St Andrews. That is something that’s near and dear to my heart and I’ve won two Opens there, it’s the home of golf and it’s my favourite golf course in the world so I’ll be there for that one, but anything in between that I don’t know.
“I will try, like this week, I’ll try and get ready for Southern Hills and we’ll see what this body’s able to do.”
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Few would doubt Woods’ assertion that he’ll be a regular fixture at major tournaments once again following his comeback at The Masters.
Last year there were suggestions he may never walk again after his horror car crash – much less play golf.
“I had the same questions,” he said, just minutes after walking off the course at Augusta following his 24th time playing The Masters.
“It was an unbelievable feeling – just to have the patrons and the support out there. I wasn’t exactly playing my best out there, but just to have the support and the appreciation from all the fans, I don’t think words can really describe that, given where I was a little over a year ago and what my prospects were at that time.
“To end up here and be able to play all four rounds, even a month ago I didn’t know if I could pull this off – so I think it was a positive. I’ve got some work to do but I’m looking forward to it.”
The 46-year-old, who has won 15 golf majors in his career, including five green jackets, said the rehabilitation following his accident had been brutal – and regardless of the scoreboard, he was cheered walking up the 18th as though he was strolling up the fairway to put for victory.
He required emergency surgery to insert a rod into his right leg to stabilize multiple open fractures after what was a nearly-fatal crash.
“It’s hard. I have those days where I just don’t want to do anything, it just hurts,” Woods said.
“But as I’ve alluded to earlier, I’ve had a great team around me that are super positive and have motivated me, and helped me around.
“Those days are tough – the days I feel good are easy days but there’s been more tough days than easy days.”
He gave credit to the team around him for helping him recover from his injuries, which he said were still a work in progress.
“I’ve just got to work through it and just like golf in order to get better you’ve just got to go out there and put in the time, and I have,” Woods said.
“The hard part is the recovery sessions; hopping in those ice baths a number of times a day, those do really suck. But it works, and just to have the support around me, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
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