Tiger Woods was back in action for the first time in six months at the Hero World Challenge, and while he continues to battle his fitness issues, there were plenty of positives for the American
Tiger Woods jumped a whopping 430 places in the Official World Golf Rankings, despite finishing 18th out of 20 players at last week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
In addition to hosting tournaments, Woods was back in action at Albany Golf Club for the first time in six months. The 82-time winner of the PGA Tour had not competed since withdrawing from the third round of the Masters in April due to an ankle injury.
This was one of Woods’ most complicated injuries to date because it necessitated the fusion of his subtalar joint, which is located in the ankle, and required extensive rehabilitation.
The 15-time major champion was able to return because his ankle was no longer hurting. To the joy of his supporters, he was able to play all 72 holes in the Bahamas and finish the tournament level-par. Woods shot to prominence in the world rankings even though he was unable to challenge for the top spot.
He moved up to 898th place in the world during his week at the Hero World Challenge. Granted, it’s a far cry from his reign supreme at the top of the rankings in prior years, but the comeback saw him re-enter the world’s top 1000 for the first time since his withdrawal from the Masters.
Woods’s ascent in the rankings came after he had hit a record low for his career, beginning the week ranked 1,328th in the world in Albany. Not surprisingly, Woods acknowledged a little rust upon his return and said he still had a lot of work ahead of him.
Following his three-over 75 opening round last Thursday, he said, “I now know mentally what I need to do better.” I knew, physically, that I would be alright. I was mentally very rusty and made a lot of mistakes that I normally wouldn’t have made.
“I desired to participate in games. I thought I was prepared to play and compete. I had a great day for the most part. As I previously stated, I simply did not mentally complete the tasks that I normally would and must do. I hit it crookedly, but I still hit it solid. I need to get better at hitting the ball in my windows, even though I’ve always had a knack for hitting it in the middle of the face.
Woods stated prior to the competition that he intended to participate in at least one event per month in 2024. Given his recent history of injuries, many were taken aback by this announcement. With 72 holes under his belt and having finished the first event of his comeback, Woods reaffirmed his position for the upcoming season.
When asked if he would still feel at ease playing once a month in 2024, he said, “Yeah. I believe I can adjust to its rhythm. I believe that I should be able to get into that rhythm if I take a few weeks off to rest and recover, followed by a week to build up.
“Basically, it’s just a matter of getting in better shape. Though I think I’m not too far from my game, I still need to improve my physical condition.” For the time being, it’s unclear where Woods will choose to play in January. Meanwhile, he will compete again with son Charlie at the two-day PNC Championship the following week.
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