Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 5 december 2017
Tiger Woods gerous — not only for his
golf, but his back.
Woods has never been
Continued from Page 17 issue,” Woods said from the forthcoming about his in-
broadcast booth, fulfilling juries, especially concern-
This was his fourth day of his role as tournament host. ing his back. Go back to
his first tournament in 10 “The issue was how was the Dubai Desert Classic
months after recovering my scoring going to be? on Feb. 2, when Woods
from a fourth back surgery. How was my feel? How opened with a 77 in rela-
He was as strong Sunday as am I going to get used to tively benign conditions.
when he started. He was the adrenaline in my sys- “I wasn’t in pain at all,”
like that all week, and the tem for the first time in a Woods said after that first
state of his health was far while? That took a little bit round.
more important than his of time. I was still good with The next day, he cited
scores. my irons. I drove it pretty back spasms for withdraw-
His scores weren’t too bad, good all week, made some Tiger Woods plans his putt on second hole of the Hero World ing. Two months later, he
either. good putts. But overall, I’m Challenge at Albany Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas, Sunday, had fusion surgery on his
Woods had rounds of 69- pleased. Dec. 3, 2017. lower back.
68 to start, struggled in the “I showed some good Associated Press So the question was raised
worst of the wind for a 75 on signs,” he said. “I hit some since he tied for 10th at the what’s the best way to go Sunday whether he would
Saturday, and then closed really good shots out there, Wyndham Classic in August about it. We’ll sit down with even say if his back was
with a 68 despite finishing and a bright future.” 2015, a month before he the whole team and we’ll hurting him.
with back-to-back bogeys. That might be the biggest went through his second figure it out.” “Yeah, I would tell you,” he
He finished 10 shots behind takeaway. and then third back sur- The best bet is the Farmers said, and followed that by
and never had a chance A future. gery. Insurance Open at Torrey saying it was not.
to win. He also tied for ninth Woods will be 42 the next The next step for Woods is Pines, where Woods has There was little reason
against an 18-man field, his time he plays. His age, not building a schedule. eight professional victories, to doubt him this time.
best result in four years. to mention four surgeries “We’re going to figure out one of them the 2008 U.S. Whether he was ducking
Woods always keeps score. on his left knee and four on what’s the best way for me Open. His foundation runs under the rope to get to
At some point, results will his back, means he no lon- to build my schedule for the Genesis Open at Riv- the practice range or step-
matter more than his health ger has time on his side. the major championships,” iera, where last year Woods ping in and out of bunkers,
to everyone else. This was only the second Woods said. “Play enough, wasn’t even healthy he looked like the Woods
“I knew I was going to be time he completed 72 but don’t play too much. enough to get out of bed of old instead of an old
able to play all four rounds. holes — both times in a I don’t know what golf for a news conference. Woods. More than any-
That wasn’t going to be an tournament with no cut — courses I’ll be playing and A rush to judgment is dan- thing, it was the swing.q