Tiger Woods: Golf legend admits return is a ‘long way’ away as he continues recovery from car crash

Tiger Woods has admitted that he is still ‘a long way’ from a return to competitive golf – but believes he will play again on tour one day.

Marking the first anniversary of the horrific car crash that almost cost him his life, the 46 year old let out a deep sigh when asked whether he had a date or a tournament in mind for his return.

‘Man, I wish I could tell you when I will play again,’ he said. ‘I’m still working on the walking part. My right leg was pretty banged up, as you know. It looks a lot different to my left one, let’s say that. I’m fine on the treadmill. I could walk all day on that, but it’s all the undulations you find on a course and all the other factors that’s a completely different matter. It’s clear that I still have a long way to go.’

Woods is the host at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera this week, just a few miles from where the accident took place. He looked to be moving with more ease than he did in December, when last seen in public.

He also sounded more upbeat about the arduous journey that remains ahead. In December he said he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to put his body through all the pain to try to play again on tour but, ten weeks down the road, he was a lot more positive.

‘I’m making progress and I’ve got a lot stronger,’ said Woods, who made his PGA Tour debut in this event 30 years ago. ‘Each and every day is a fight but it is one that I welcome. I like the challenge, and I like going a few rounds.’

Woods sustained a number of injuries when he was involved in a near-fatal car crash last year

The golf legend’s car flipped over several times during the horror crash out in California

Woods said his chipping and putting is in good order but he’s still unable to put in any serious work on his long game. ‘It’s all the torque and twisting and my right leg isn’t up to that yet,’ he said. ‘I’m getting there, just not at the speed that I would like, and then you’ve got the age factor. Do I think I will be able to play a few events here and there in the future? Yes, I do.’

Tiger was clearly buoyed by the Parent and Child exhibition event he played just before Christmas in Orlando, where he rode in a cart between shots and where he and his son Charlie finished second. ‘They were two of the greatest days ever,’ he said.

He also enthused about the event ahead, starting today and featuring all of the world’s top ten, with Rory McIlroy aptly describing it as ‘one of the can’t miss events on tour.’ The 32 year old is in Hollywood following a first trip home to the Northern Ireland version for two years.

One year on Woods admits he is still not close to making an emotional return to the sport

‘It was great to introduce my daughter to her extended family for the first time, and a really nice way to get over the disappointment of Dubai,’ he said, referring to his 18th hole debacle in his last event, where he tossed away the chance of winning with a shot into the water at the front of the green.

‘It was obviously a bad swing at a bad time but I did a lot of things well that week and I’ve been working on the few things that I didn’t like,’ added McIlroy, whose run of consistent form has seen him back in the world’s top five for the first time in two years. 

‘The game feels in really good shape, to be honest. It’s a real treat to play a storied course like this one.’