Tiger Woods added to speculation that he is reaching full fitness after he was filmed walking unaided and carrying his son's golf bag at a junior tournament.
Woods has not teed it up in competition since he withdrew midway through the third round of the Masters in April earlier this year. The 15-time Major champion subsequently underwent ankle surgery, missing the final three Majors of 2023, but the American has been slowly upping his rehab ahead of a potential return to competition late in the year.
The golfing legend was videoed hitting balls for the first time since surgery and has now been videoed alongside his son Charlie at this week's Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship.
#VIDEO: Tiger Woods walk is looking good 👀 pic.twitter.com/DsIexSljDRNovember 3, 2023
In the video, Woods is carrying Charlie's bag and appears to be walking without a limp, in stark contrast with earlier in the year when he struggled to get around Augusta National in wet conditions.
Such images will only add more fuel to the speculation that the 82-time PGA Tour winner is nearing his competitive return, with the American visiting the World Wide Technologies Championship in Mexico - hosted on a course he designed - earlier in the week, with Stewart Cink later suggesting Woods was in "go-mode" for a return.
"I did chat with him yesterday but we had other things to chat about [besides course setup]," Cink said in an interview with the Golf Channel.
"Mainly I just wanted to know how he was doing. You don't always get a whole lot out of Tiger Woods but he said that he is starting practicing which I think is a great sign.
"I don't know what he's practicing for, but he said he's started practicing. He's in go mode for something. I think we are all pulling for him to feel as good as he can feel and if he's hitting golf balls then I think he's going in the right direction."
Should Woods return before the turn of the year, it would likely be at the Hero World Challenge in early December or the PNC Championship alongside Charlie a fortnight later.
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