Tiger Woods is hoping to make a comeback.
It’s been over 12 months since Tiger Woods stepped away from the game competitively to recover from injuries surrounding his years of phenomenal play. However, on Wednesday, the former world No. 1 said that he hopes to play in the Safeway Open from Oct. 13-16 in Napa, Calif. If this happens, then it will be Woods’ first round since undergoing two back surgeries last fall. The surgeries left him in limbo and on an indefinite hiatus from tournament play, where he was an all-dominating force to be reckoned with.
Here’s what Woods had to say on his site:
“My rehabilitation is to the point where I’m comfortable making plans, but I still have work to do,” Tiger said. “Whether I can play depends on my continued progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go.
“I’m looking forward to going to California for my foundation event and Safeway. I’m also excited to return to Turkey and Albany. It could be a fun fall.
“It was difficult missing tournaments that are important to me, but this time I was smart about my recovery and didn’t rush it. It was great spending time with my children Sam and Charlie, and also working on a lot of projects including golf-course design, the upcoming 20th anniversary of my foundation and my book about the 1997 Masters. But I missed competing. I want to thank all the fans for their kindness and concern. I’ve been a pro about 20 years, and their support has never waned.”
Woods’ back may, or may not, be ready for the strenuous rounds the will come at the Safeway Open, having undergone three operations since 2014. And, should all go as planned, Woods is also planning to play at the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya, Turkey, from Nov. 3-6 and in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas from Dec. 1-4.
Woods last played at the Wyndham Championship in August 2015, spending the time since then recovering from multiple back surgeries.
Woods, now age 40, hopes he is able to make a strong comeback and regain both his health and playing ability. Since 2003, when he won five tournaments and held the No. 1 ranking, fans have been waiting for the return of the Tiger Woods of former years. Whether this will be the case for the 14-time major winner—who hasn’t yet even made the weekend cut at four of the past five majors—has yet to be seen.
