Tiger Woods has admitted the
combined toll of multiple operations
on his battered body means he doesn’t
think he “will ever feel great” again.
But the former world number one said
he hoped to be able to compete for
titles and majors in the future, in an
interview for Dubai magazine Vision.
“I feel good, but not great,” said
Woods, 41. “Granted, I don’t think I’ll
ever feel great because it’s three back
surgeries, four knee operations.”
The 14-time major-winner returned
from a 16-month injury lay-off in
December and has slumped to 674 in
the world rankings.
“I am always going to be a little bit
sore, it’s just the way it is. But as long
as I can function and function at a
good enough level then I’m fine with
that,” he said.
Woods made an ill-fated attempt to
play in the European Tour’s Dubai
Desert Classic last week, pulling out
with back spasms after a birdie-free
first-round 77 left him 13 shots off the
lead.
Woods had missed the cut a week
earlier at his first US PGA tour event of
the year at Torrey Pines.
He is entered for next week’s
tournament at Riviera as he tries to
recover form and fitness before a tilt
at the season’s first major, the Masters
in Augusta in early April.
“The whole plan was to get my body,
mind and spirit ready for that first full
week in April,” said the 14-time major
winner. “You know, I’ve done it (won
at Augusta) four times and I’d love to
do it a fifth.”
Woods said he would carry on as long
as he felt capable of winning, after a
painful rehabilitation.
“There were a lot of times I didn’t
think I was going to make it back. It
was tough, it was more than brutal,”
he said.
Woods, who has not won since 2013
and whose last major victory came in
2008, said golf was becoming a
different game with the power of the
“kids” dominating the world rankings,
such as Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and
Rory McIlroy.
“This is the changing of the guard. All
these guys can move it,” he said. “It
wasn’t important to hit the ball hard,
it was more important to hit the ball
flush, but now these kids tee it up and
just go after it.”
But he still believes he can win again.
“My generation is getting older, but if
I’m teeing up the goal’s to win it,” said
Woods.
“That doesn’t change if I’m injured,
coming off an injury, playing well or
I’m playing poorly. If I’m in the event,
it’s to win the event.”
