Tiger Woods is optimistic about having a robust playing schedule in 2018 although he is still unsure about what that will entail.
“I was very encouraged by my performance at the Hero World Challenge, and hope it was the start of something big. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect after being away from competitive golf for 10 months and came away excited about my health and my game,” Woods wrote in his his website blog just before the New Year holiday.
“I took a week off after Hero to train and build up my body because as a tournament week goes on, we all degrade a little bit,” he added. “That’s just the nature of playing competitive golf.
“Now, I feel I’ve taken it to another level. I’ve started practicing again and was out with Justin (Thomas) the other day and had a good time. I’m continuing to progress and trying to get strong enough to where I can handle a workload again.”
Woods noted that he would love to play a full schedule this year but would have to see how his body handles the return to tournament play.
“I would love to play a full schedule in 2018. What that entails, including back-to-back events, I don’t know. I just have to continue to work on my body and game and see where I pan out. I wish I knew where I was going to play and when I was going to play – it’s a lot easier to prep for that – but we really don’t know. This is all unchartered territory,” wrote Woods, who turned 42 on December 30.
The 14-time Major winner said that he was hitting it longer now despite having a shorter swing after back surgery.
“My swing is definitely shorter and I can’t turn as far. My back is fused and that’s as far as it’s going to go. But I was surprised at how explosive I was,” he shared. “And on top of that, how well I putted. I had been rolling it well at home, but it’s totally different when you have adrenaline in your system. I’m more than a full-club longer than when I shut it down.”
