Tiger Woods has already taken to the range at Valhalla Golf Club, starting his preparation for next week’s U.S. PGA Championship in Kentucky. Woods has been forced to play a part-time schedule in recent years, after suffering career-threatening injuries in a car accident in February 2021.
The 48-year-old – who has a record-equalling 82 PGA Tour titles to his name – has played in just eight competitive events in two years, completing all 72 holes on four occasions. His next start will come at the U.S. PGA Championship next week, an event he has won four times, including at this year’s venue back in 2000.
And in a bid to ensure he is in perfect shape for the second major championship of the year, Woods took to the Valhalla driving range on Sunday, whilst the majority of his PGA Tour rivals battle it out at the Wells Fargo Championship.
The golfing great has played just twice since the turn of the year, with his first start coming at February’s Genesis Invitational, an event in which he is tournament host. As has been the case of a number of occasions since his comeback in 2022 though, Woods was forced to withdraw partway through the event.
Having completed his opening 18 holes on day one at Riviera, the tournament host’s week came to an end prematurely on day two after he was forced to withdraw just six holes into round two. His decision to pull out was not down to injury, but through illness, having suffered with influenza.
After two months away Woods’ return came at April’s Masters, where the five-time winner once again wrote himself into the Augusta National history books. The American made a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at the Masters, passing fellow greats Fred Couples and Gary Player on 23.
Just 24 hours later however Woods racked up an unwanted record, carding a 10-over-par 82, the worst 18-hole round of his major championship career. A worn out Woods eventually completed all 72 holes following Sunday’s final round, finishing 60th at 16-over-par for the week.
Despite a tough week, the 15-time major champion remained optimistic with his game. “It was a good week,” he said last month. “It was a good week all around. I think that coming in here, not having played a full tournament in a very long time, it was a good fight on Thursday and Friday.
“Unfortunately yesterday it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to.” His attention now however his firmly on the PGA Championship, as he chases down a 16th major title. There is no doubt Woods has failed to show his best since returning from injury, however the 48-year-old still has sights on adding one more win to his record despite his fitness issues.
Asked if he had one more victory in him, he said at Augusta: “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more. Do I need to describe that any more than that? The ankle doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s fused so that’s fine. It’s other parts of my body that now have to take the brunt of it. Every shot that’s not on a tee box is a challenge.”
