Will we see Tiger Woods at St Andrews?

For the first time since his near-fatal crash in February we’ve heard from Tiger Woods this week. He’s answered questions at the Hero World Challenge, the tournament that he hosts, and we’ve seen him hit balls again.

The really exciting part was watching him hit a driver which gave more optimism that he might be back on the scene sooner rather than later - there is talk of him playing in the PNC Championship with his son Charlie in a couple of weeks – but he was playing things down in his chats with the media.

"I would love to play at St Andrews, no doubt about it," said Woods, a two-time winner at the Home of Golf. “It’s my favourite golf course in the world. Even the Champions’ Dinner is really neat to be part of. I attended my first one in 2005 and Peter Thomson was still alive at that time. I was sat next to him and to hear him tell his stories was awesome.

"It’s like at the Masters. Those dinners are priceless. It’s an honour to be part of a room like that. Physically, hopefully I can play, but I've got to get there first. Tournament's not going to go anywhere, but I need to get there. I’d love to be able to play that Open Championship and hopefully I can." 

Full swing Woods. pic.twitter.com/oTAoL7eeCa

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 2, 2021

He revealed that amputation had been a possibility and that he was glad to be alive and that, whatever happens in the future, any playing schedule would be a limited one – he likened things to when Ben Hogan played a small number of events a year after his own car accident.

"It’s very easy given that I was able to come back after the back fusion surgery and do what I did. I got that last major. I don’t foresee this leg ever being what it used to be. The clock’s ticking. I’m not getting any younger. I don’t have any desire to do that. I won’t have the opportunity to practise (the way I did) given the condition of my leg. That’s OK. As far as playing at the tour level, I don’t know when that’s going to happen. I’ll play a round here and there. A hit and giggle.

“But to ramp it up for a few events a year and, as I alluded to Mr Hogan did, and he did a pretty good job of it, and there's no reason that I can't do that and feel ready. I may not be tournament-sharp in a sense that I haven't played tournaments, but I think if you practise correctly and you do it correctly, that I've come off surgeries before. So I know the recipe for it, I've just got to get to a point where I feel comfortable enough where I can do that again."