Tiger Woods Spotted Hitting Chips For First Time Since Surgery

Tiger Woods appears to be stepping up his latest preparations for a comeback after being filmed hitting one-handed chips on the driving range at Liberty National in New Jersey.

Woods’ appearance, alongside Will Zalatoris, who is recovering from back surgery, and Rickie Fowler, came ahead of the Nexus Cup, which benefits his foundation. It was also accompanied by a live Q&A session broadcast on Instagram by golf brand Eastside Golf, and will encourage fans who hope to see him back in action sooner rather than later.

The 47-year-old has only made two competitive starts in 2023, with the Genesis invitational at Riviera Country Club in February and The Masters two months later.

However, the 15-time Major winner was forced to withdraw from that tournament during the third round which was initially put down to a flare-up of the plantar fasciitis that kept him out of December’s Hero World Challenge.

Soon after Woods’s withdrawal from the Augusta National tournament, it was announced that he had undergone ankle surgery to address post-traumatic arthritis from a previous fracture.

Woods’ recovery from that operation meant he was unable to take part in any of the three remaining Majors in 2023, and details on a potential timeline for a potential comeback have been in short supply.

Nevertheless, Woods has been in the spotlight during his recovery, most notably with his appointment to the PGA Tour Policy Board as a Player Director. Even more recently, it was reported that Woods was “walking fine” at Old Palm Golf Club in Florida while accompanying son Charlie in a junior tournament. Then, in August, he was spotted on a golf course watching Charlie in action again.

Towards the end of the year is the Hero World Challenge, which Woods hosts, and the PNC Championship, which he has regularly appeared in with Charlie. However, whether either of those events is being earmarked for a comeback is unconfirmed.