Tiger Woods Still Hopeful Over Masters Return

Tiger Woods provided an update on how his recovery from a fifth back surgery is progressing

Tiger Woods Still Hopeful Over Masters Return

After undergoing back surgery for the fifth time at the end of last year, Tiger Woods has provided an update on his health during the PGA Tour broadcast of the Genesis Invitational.

“I’m feeling fine, I’m feeling fine,” Woods told Jim Nantz with a smile on his face.

“I’m a little stiff. I have one more MRI scheduled so we’ll see if the annulus is scarred over finally and see if I can start doing more activities.

“But still in the gym, still doing the mundane stuff that you have to do for rehab, the little things before I can start gravitating towards something a little more.”

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The big question is whether Woods will be fit for the Masters in April and, while the 15-time major winner and five-time Masters champion is hopeful, he also urged caution, insisting he won’t rush his recovery to the detriment of his long-term health.

“God, I hope so,” Woods said. “I’ve got to get there first.

“A lot of it is based on my surgeons, my doctors, my therapists and making sure I do it correctly because this is the only back I’ve got and I don’t have much more wiggle room there.

“The plan is, right now, just to go and get the MRI and if the annulus is sealed and scarred over then we can start progressing.”

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Despite being unable to play any golf, Woods has been tinkering with his equipment in a bid to alleviate the strain placed on his body as much as possible.

“I have lengthened my putter.

“Starts with that so I don’t have to bend over so far.

“I’ve gone to the same length as my sand wedge because I do a lot of putting drills, blading - hitting the equator with my sand wedge and I figured, well, if I do a lot with that, why not lengthen my putter to the same length, so I did and it helped.”