Tiger Woods last night painted a bleak picture about his golfing future as the former world No 1 faced up to the grim reality that his career may be drawing to a close.
Woods, who will turn 40 later this month, is currently recovering from a third surgery on his bothersome back and the 14-time major winner revealed that he has yet to start rehabilitation work.
Speaking at a press conference in the Bahamas ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge, the limited field event that he hosts for his own Foundation, Woods admitted that he does not know when he will be able to resume his golfing activities and confessed that he was unable to commit to any golf in 2016.
"I have no answer for that and neither does my surgeon,'' said Woods."There is no timetable, so that's the hardest part for me. There's really nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build toward. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel?”
Throughout the various injuries that have ravaged his body in recent years, Woods has always maintained a sturdy sense of optimism but the downbeat nature of his comments last night, and the general uncertainty surrounding his latest attempt at a comeback, were revealing.
Asked what he could physically do at the moment, Woods said: "I walk. And I walk and I walk some more. I have to reset the clock each and every day. We take it day by day and hopefully that adds up to something positive.”
He added that any good golf he plays –if any – from now on “is gravy” on the top of a shimmering career as he confronted the possibility that it may, indeed, be over.
"For my 20 years out here I achieved a lot,” he said. "If that’s all it entails then I’ve had a pretty good run. But I’m hoping that’s not it. I’m hoping I can get out here and compete against these guys. I really do miss it."
Wishing my idol and friend a speedy recovery. Golf without him doesn't bear thinking about. Hope… https://t.co/fwTOQnaAxM
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) December 1, 2015
Woods, whose acceptance of a Ryder Cup vice-captaincy role next year was another hint that he may be looking to a different future, had microdiscectomy surgery on his back in March of 2014 which limited him to just seven starts. He returned this year and played 11 tournaments but he had further surgery in September at which point he said that his recovery would be “long and tedious”. In October, Woods, who has slithered down to No 400 on the world rankings having spent 623 weeks as No 1 during his pomp, had a third surgery on the same area of his back.
The prognosis is not good. This Tiger tale may be reaching a conclusion.
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