Tiger Woods came as close as he’s come in recent months in pinpointing the next time fans will see him on the golf course.
Woods said at a news conference on Feb. 17 at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., where he is hosting the Genesis Invitational, that his rehabilitation from disc replacement surgery and an Achilles tendon injury in 2025 has been “challenging,” but he did not rule out a return at the Masters April 9-12 at the Augusta National Golf Club, or testing the waters on the PGA Tour Champions, where he can use a cart.
“I’m trying, put it that way,” he said when asked how close he was to playing. “I’ve had a fused back and now a disc replacement, so it’s challenging. Now I entered a new decade [turning 50 years old] … so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart. That’s something I won’t do here on this tour [PGA Tour] because I don’t believe in it. But on the Champions Tour, that’s certainly that opportunity.”
Woods said he didn’t have a target date, but later in the news conference, when asked point-blank, “Is the Masters off the table?” he said, “No.”
Woods said he is hitting full shots in practice sessions.
“Not well every day, but I can hit them,” he said.
If Woods wanted to use a Champions Tour event as a tuneup before the Masters, he has two intriguing options: the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational March 6-8 in Boca Raton, just south of his residence in Jupiter; or the Hoag Classic March 27-29, at the Newport Beach Country Club, near where he grew up in Orange County, Calif.
Woods has high praise for Anthony Kim
Woods was effusive in lauding Anthony Kim for winning the LIV Golf event in Australia last week. Kim, 40, is making a comeback after years of personal battles that include substance abuse.
“He had so much natural talent … he could hit any shot he wanted,” Woods said about Kim’s prime PGA Tour years from 2008-10, when he won three times and was one of the stars of the U.S. Ryder Cup victory in 2008. “For him to come all the way back and for him to win and to be as devoted as he is to his family, it’s a story in which you just have to wrap you heart around because of the struggles.
“We can all relate to struggles,” Woods said. “We all struggle in life. The longer it goes, the more tough times you’ve had. But for him to fight through it and for Anthony to get where he’s gotten to, from the low that he was in, is something, as I said, you just have to wrap your heart around it.”
Woods said PGA Tour schedule changes are coming
Woods is the chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee that is studying what may be seismic changes in the Tour schedule in terms of shrinking the number of events, starting the season after the Super Bowl and moving traditional Tour venues such as Pebble Beach to other parts of the schedule.
There will also be fewer exempt spots, but an emphasis will be placed on opportunities from the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour University, which rewards the top college players with playing opportunities.
“We’re going to get more top players playing and we’re going to make it more competitive … we’ll have fewer cards so that in itself is going to make it more competitive just to be out here,” he said. “We’re trying to create opportunities for that turnover coming from PGA Tour U or the Korn Ferry … trying to get more youth out here because eventually they’re going to take over the game.”
Woods said changes could come as early as next season
“We would like to have it happen in 2027,” he said. “We may have to roll it out over a couple-year period. We may not be able to implement all of it in 2027, but there will definitely be parts of it integrated or changed from what it is now in ‘26 into ‘27.
Woods joked that working on the committee, which includes fellow players Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Camilo Villegas, Maverick McNealy and Keith Mitchell, has involved more time than he used to spending practicing.
“I thought I spent a lot of hours practicing my game,” he said. “It doesn’t even compare to what we’ve done in the boardroom. It’s been challenging. We’re trying to do the right thing. We’re making some great strides. We want to make our Tour better and our product better.”
What about Tiger as the 2027 Ryder Cup captain?
Woods said the PGA of America has “asked me for my input on it,” when he was asked about the possibility that he would be the U.S. Ryder Cup captain at Adare Manor in Ireland.
“I haven’t made my decision yet,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our Tour. That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup … if I can do it justice with my time.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tiger Woods gives update on Masters return, PGA Tour changes
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
