Tiger Woods is playing in the Safeway Open in October

[nevets88]

Heeeeere's Johnny!

 

[BallStriker]

Tiger's BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no pun intended

[kpaulhus]

ARMEL, Ind. – Perhaps this won’t be a lost year for Tiger Woods, after all.

Woods announced Wednesday that he "hopes" to make his long-awaited return to competition Oct. 13-16 at the PGA Tour’s Safeway Open in Napa, Calif.

The Tour’s season opener will be the first of three events that Woods will play before the end of the year: He also intends to tee it up in the Turkish Airlines Open (Nov. 3-6) and Hero World Challenge(Dec. 1-4).

“My rehabilitation is to the point where I’m comfortbale making plans, but I still have work to do,” he said in a statement released on his website. “Whether I can play depends on my continued progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go.”

Woods hasn’t played a competitive round since Aug. 23, 2015, when he posted a season-best tie for 10^th at the Wyndham Championship. A month later, he underwent a second microdiscectomy, then had another follow-up procedure on his back a few weeks later. He has dropped to No. 711 in the world ranking.

Updates on his progress this year have been scarce, as fans were left to read the tea leaves after Woods made various appearances in his home simulator, on the range at a junior clinic, at hiscourse opening and at media day for the Quicken Loans National. The most recent update came on July 19, when his agent, Mark Steinberg, told GolfChannel.com that Woods would not play the rest of the season and that he was “continuing to make progress … and will continue to rehab and work hard to then assess when he starts play for the ’16/’17 season.”  

Turns out he could be back for the first event of the new season.

"It could be a fun fall," he said. "It was difficult missing tournaments that are important to me, but this time I was smart about my recovery and didn’t rush it."

Woods has played the Safeway (formerly known as the Frys.com Open) only once, in 2011. He had committed to play the event last year as part of an agreement with PGA Tour commissioner that allowed Woods and seven other players to participate in an exhibition in Turkey in 2012. He later withdrew because of injury.

[CarlSpackler]

I hope it isn't a train wreck...

[Yukari]

It's good to hear he is coming back, but still a little weary whether he is 100%--I hope he is.

Hopefully, he won't go through that chipping yips.

[Wally Fairway]

This is good news, good for the sport and good for the Tour.
Now let the debate begin:
a) He is going to win a major in 2017
b) He is going to struggle like we mainly during 2014
c) He will return as we saw him in 2013

Maybe I should come out of my retirement as a caddie, that is if Joe Lacava doesn't still have that loop.

[dave s]

I realize the guy IS Tiger Woods, but how does he get into a tournament with a 711th world ranking?  Sponsor exemption? Other?

Just curious on the above question.

That said, I sincerely hope he's physically well enough off to compete.  Golf is always more worth watching when Tiger plays an event.  All the best to him.

dave

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, dave s said:

I realize the guy IS Tiger Woods, but how does he get into a tournament with a 711th world ranking?  Sponsor exemption? Other?

Uhh… he was player of the year in 2013. He's got a lifetime exemption to the PGA Tour.

I'm pretty sure if Jack Nicklaus wanted to play he'd qualify, too.

Heck, even with the 2013 stuff, I'm pretty sure he'd still have status if he was a regular guy with a few wins who took a medical leave.

[ScouseJohnny]

Has the mythical "needle" one hears so much about started moving yet, (outside of the Sand Trap, of course)...?

[kpaulhus]

11 minutes ago, iacas said:

Uhh… he was player of the year in 2013. He's got a lifetime exemption to the PGA Tour.

I'm pretty sure if Jack Nicklaus wanted to play he'd qualify, too.

Heck, even with the 2013 stuff, I'm pretty sure he'd still have status if he was a regular guy with a few wins who took a medical leave.

This is the same as some big amateurs getting exemptions....except Tiger can play anywhere he wants. 

I do hope Tiger makes a solid showing, but I dont expect him to win any of the 3 tournaments he entered.

[Jeremie Boop]

2 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

Has the mythical "needle" one hears so much about started moving yet, (outside of the Sand Trap, of course)...?

I would hazard a guess that his being in the tournament will at least boost the viewership for the first two days and if he makes the cut then all four days.

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

Has the mythical "needle" one hears so much about started moving yet, (outside of the Sand Trap, of course)...?

Yes. Everyone immediately sent emails, Twitter started talking, etc.

Is the needle as big as three years ago? No, of course not. Still bigger than, say, news about Rickie Fowler. Much.

[dave s]

17 minutes ago, iacas said:

Uhh… he was player of the year in 2013. He's got a lifetime exemption to the PGA Tour.

 

Lifetime exemption sounds like it'll get him into any tournament any time, no questions asked.  What I wanted to know.  Thanks.

dave

[woodzie264]

1 hour ago, CarlSpackler said:

I hope it isn't a train wreck...

While I'd love to see the old Tiger I beleive it could be another disaster

40 minutes ago, Wally Fairway said:

This is good news, good for the sport and good for the Tour.
Now let the debate begin:
a) He is going to win a major in 2017
b) He is going to struggle like we mainly during 2014
c) He will return as we saw him in 2013

Maybe I should come out of my retirement as a caddie, that is if Joe Lacava doesn't still have that loop.

Maybe none of the above. Maybe he'll make an average, but not too disappointing, return. If I had to predict, I'd choose B.

Edited September 7, 2016 by woodzie264

[ScouseJohnny]

Booooo... Jason Day interjects with dose of pesky realism:

Quote

Yet Jason Day, the world No 1, played down early hopes. “Even though we’re expecting big things, I won’t expect too much from Tiger,” Day said. “It’s tough to come back and be as sharp straight away.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/07/tiger-woods-return-golf-injury-layoff

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by ScouseJohnny

[Divotmaker77]

Glad he is coming back but have zero confidence his back is going to hold up.  Swinging a club thousands of times at 115-120+ MPH with the back surgeries he has had is a recipe for more disaster.  I know he is using very good doctors, trainers, etc. but the best team in the world is not going to miraculously heal a 40 year old guy who has put a ton of mileage on his body.

If he can come back and make one last big run these next 5-7 years Pro Golf may experience its best run ever with all the talent that is on tour now.

[Jeremie Boop]

3 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

Booooo... Jason Day interjects with dose of pesky realism:

 

 

 

Honestly, I don't think many people are actually expecting him to come back and tear up the tour. If he makes cuts consistently and/or shows up near the leader board in the first few months playing I would classify that as a win for him. 

[GolfLug]

I will file this under happy news!

Yes, I vote for making cuts will be a priority and a realistic goal for a few tourneys.