Tiger Woods is hitting full shots as he returns from his second back injury of the season and prepares to play in December at the Hero World Challenge, his tournament in Orlando, USA Today reported.
Until last week, Woods was working only on his short game.
“The doctors said he could hit golf balls again, and he’s listening to his doctors and to his body,” Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, said in the USA Today story. “He will keep listening to his doctors and body.
” … He’s feeling pretty good.”
Woods had microdiscectomy surgery for a pinched nerve in his back on March 31, causing him to miss the Masters and the U.S. Open.
After returning to the PGA Tour later in the year, Woods fell back into a bunker after hitting a shot and jarred his back at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Woods withdrew from the final round of that tournament, but decided to play the following week in the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he won the tournament in 2000.
However, he missed the cut and his doctors advised him to skip the rest of the season to rest the new injury, which was muscular and not related to his surgery.
The Hero World Challenge, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, will be played at Isleworth Country Club from Dec. 4-7 after being contested at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks from 2000-13.
