In a field of 20 players, Woods finished in 18th place, but that wasn’t very significant given that this was his first time participating in competitive golf since April of this year.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that when Tiger Woods finished his fourth and final round of the Hero World Challenge in Albany, the Bahamas on Sunday, the golf community as a whole sighed with relief.
The only thing on fans’ minds was whether Woods, who is the event host, would be able to withstand the four days of intense competition, given that he still seemed to experience some minor discomfort when walking.
The last time he was spotted competing was at the Masters, where he was forced to withdraw in the third round because of a heel injury. A few days later, he had to have surgery on his ankle. In fact, in his five appearances since his car accident in early 2021, he had only twice been able to play all four rounds. It was the third time he had played all four rounds since that terrible accident in Albany. And initially, that’s what golf enthusiasts, or rather, Tiger Woods’ supporters, would have hoped for.
By all accounts, it was a worthwhile excursion. Woods didn’t seem too bad on Thursday. Despite widespread concerns that he would be dispersed, he scored four birdies. He was three shots over par for the day, and could have done so much better if he hadn’t lost four shots from the 15th to the 17th hole. He scored five birdies in the second round, one more than he did in the first. After two rounds, he was now one over par with a 2-under-par 70.
With five more birdies on Saturday, Woods shot another under-par round in the no-cut competition, bringing his total score to even-par 216. There was an even par in the fourth and final round. He finished ahead of 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark and Will Zalatoris, another player making a comeback to competitive golf after several months, for the third straight round.Clark had five birdies in his round.
He teed off well the entire time he was at the Albany Golf Club, but the rest of his shots were frequently less than convincing, especially the approach shot, which makes sense given the nature of his injuries and extended layoff.
In order to extend his golf career, Woods has stated that he intends to play in just one competitive event per month in the upcoming season. He is aware that he is unable to participate in tournament after tournament due to his numerous injury concerns. The 47-year-old is aware that, in the end, even that strategy might not be successful. He didn’t last long on the golf course in his prior comebacks following the crash.
However, it was clear that Woods was not at all defensive. That kind of behavior would not be expected from a player who had just returned from a protracted layoff and was still dealing with serious issues. He played with a lot of intent, which paid off as he made a lot of birdies and bogies (19 against 15 bogies and 2 double bogies on Days 1 and 4). Woods, that’s for you. He has played to win his whole career. He is completely devoid of any defensive bone. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much better I’m getting every day. Throughout the competition, Woods stated, “I still have the game; it’s whether the body can do it or not.
The 36-hole PNC Championship in Orlando in mid-December is where fans can next catch the 82-time winner of the PGA Tour. Charlie Woods, his intelligent son, and he will be paired up for this family gathering. It’s more of a social event, so it shouldn’t be too taxing.
Fans are relieved that he is finally back, even though the clouds of worry haven’t completely cleared. For the past thirty years or so, Woods is the biggest golf celebrity. Since golf is closely associated with his name, it would not be overstatement to say that the game currently needs him more than he needs it.
