It’s still a bit of a mystery as to when Tiger Woods will be able to get back to work on the course, but he did tell reporters Tuesday that his right ankle was pain-free.
However, it’s the rest of the leg that still needs to come along.
“My ankle is fine. Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever,” Woods said, according to The Associated Press. “That pain is completely gone. It’s the other areas that have been compensated for.
“But all the surrounding areas is where I had all my problems, and I still do. So you fix one, others have to become more hypermobile to get around it, and it can lead to some issues.”
Woods had fusion surgery on his right ankle back in April, which cast doubt on the star golfer appearing in any further majors for the rest of 2023.
Woods caddied for his son, Charlie, over the weekend at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, and footage posted by the tournament’s X account showed Woods walking and carrying his son’s golf bag.
“I’m pretty sore after caddying for four days,” Woods said. “It was a flat course, thank God.”
Woods hasn’t played since he withdrew from the Masters in April and underwent surgery two weeks later for arthritis that stemmed from a car crash outside Los Angeles two years ago.
Woods is set to host the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas a week after Thanksgiving, but the golfer isn’t expected to participate in it.
Since the event is sanctioned by the PGA Tour, it would mean 72 holes worth of walking.
What’s more likely to occur is Woods playing in the PNC Championship, which is a PGA Tour Champions-sanctioned event and allows carts.
Woods has participated in the event the past two years with Charlie, including 10 months after the car crash. 6
On Tuesday, Woods was announced as part of the ownership group of the sixth and final team, the Jupiter Links Golf Club, in the TGL, which he developed with Rory McIlroy.
Woods is also set to compete for the team.
