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Bob Harig ESPN Senior Writer
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- Senior golf author for ESPN.com
- Covered golf for greater than twenty years
- Earned Evans Scholarship to participate in Indiana University
Tiger Woods suggested in a meeting with CBS’ Jim Nantz on Sunday that he has actually not exercised a lot following a 5th back surgical treatment in December which he would certainly not assure belonging of the last round of the Masters in 7 weeks.
“I’ve got to get there first,” claimed Woods, 45, that went to Riviera Country Club as host of the Genesis Invitational.
“I have looked at my putter,” he quipped, providing no schedule for his return in the coming weeks.
“I don’t know what the plan is,” he claimed. “The plan right now is to get through tomorrow and start progressing.”
Woods had a microdiscectomyon Dec 23, a treatment to ease nerve discomfort in his reducedback He had that exact same treatment 3 previous times, as soon as in 2014 and also two times in 2015. He after that had an even more major spine blend in April 2017, where he returned much less than a year later on.
Woods has actually won 3 times considering that to run his PGA Tour triumph total amount to 82, connectingSam Snead He additionally won his 15th significant title when he caught the 2019 Masters.
But Woods never ever obtained anything going in 2014, publishing simply a solitary top-10 surface, a connection for 9th at the Farmers Insurance Open in January 2020.
He missed out on the cut at the UNITED STATE Open and also connected for 38th at the Masters, his last main occasion.
He had his most current treatment 3 days after taking on his kid, Charlie, at the PNC Championship in December.
“I’m feeling fine, a little stiff,” Woods claimed. “I’ve got one more MRI scheduled, and then I can start doing more activities. I’m still in the gym doing rehab activities before gravitating towards more.”
Woods would certainly not devote to playing an event prior to the Masters, and also when asked particularly regarding the year’s initial significant champion, he claimed, “God, I hope so. But I’ve got to get there first. I don’t have much wiggle room left. I’ve got only one back.”
The recuperation from the treatment, which was thought to be one degree up on the back where his previous ones took place, was anticipated to take 2 and also a fifty percent to 3 months. He was claimed to be striking rounds a couple of weeks later on, yet Woods’ words suggested he has actually refrained the hefty practicing essential for a return.
Among possible areas for him ahead back would certainly be the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2 weeks complied with by the Players Championship and also theHonda Classic Following the Honda is the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, an event for which he will certainly be qualified if he continues to be rated amongst the leading 64 worldwide. He went down to 51st on Sunday.
The match-play occasion is 2 weeks prior to the Masters.