Tiger Woods: Playing golf just as an ambassador is not in my DNA

Los Angeles: The City of Angels, home of Hollywood the Dodgers and now churning out chapters in the ever-fascinating career of Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods during a press conference prior to The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Picture: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.

It’s where he almost lost his right leg in a single-car rollover crash almost exactly two years ago and now the 47-year-old is back in the spotlight in the sprawling California city this week.

Woods is teeing up in the Genesis Invitational, an event on the PGA Tour that takes place at Riviera Country Club and is hosted by Woods through the TGR Foundation.

It’s his first competitive outing since the 15-time major winner missed the cut in last year’s 150th Open at St Andrews. He had been set to play in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December before developing plantar fasciitis in his right foot and being forced into a late withdrawal.

He said then that appearances in events outside the majors would probably be few and far between going forward due to the fact his leg is never going to be the same again after that accident two years ago and left it late before confirming this particular assignment.

“I can hit golf balls and do all that stuff, it's a matter of whether I have endurance in my leg,” he said of his decision to be part of a stellar field headed by new world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm as a $20 million prize pot goes up for grabs on the US circuit for the second week in a row.

“And we've been pushing it pretty good and able to recover each and every day, which is great. So I'm excited about being able to compete and play and play here at Riviera where basically it all started. I'm excited to get out there and play.”

What actually determines these days if he feels able to play? “The leg is better than it was last year; it's more my ankle, whether I can recover from day to day,” he revealed.”To have the recovery and also have the strength development at the same time, it's been an intricate little balance that we've had to dance.

“But it's gotten so much better the last couple months. I'm excited to go out there and compete and play with these guys. And I would not have put myself out here if I didn't think I could beat these guys and win the event.

“That's my mentality. If I wasn't ready to win at this level, I am very rusty, but I've come off a rusty situation before and I've done well and I've had to utilise a lot of those tactics in practice in buildup. Plus, also I know this golf course. I know I haven't had a lot of success on this golf course, but I knew what to practice for, shots to hit at home getting ready.”

He played in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in December, when he also took part in ‘The Match’ along with McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. But, on both those occasions, he was able to use a buggy. That, of course, is not permitted on the PGA Tour.

“It's the walking endurance that's hard,” he confessed. “That's something that we've had to work on, walking distances on the beach, just basically stress it out but also be able to recover by the next day and see how it is inflammation-wise and then keep practicing. I may have overdone it a couple times here or there, but here I am.”

What has it taken on a day-to-day basis to be ready to play these days? “I hit balls basically almost every day. I chip and putt. I've got a neat little practice facility in my backyard so I can do a little bit of short game work there and a little bit of progression,” he said. “I've gone out to Medalist (a course close to his home in Florida) and hit balls, I've walked the golf course when I've played. Then I'll play, I'll hop in a cart when I get a little tired. And it's gone from a few holes to nine holes to the back nine and then to 18 holes and go back home, practice. So it's just a build up, and it's built up fantastic to get to this point. Then after this event we'll analyse it and see what we need to do to get ready for Augusta.”

He’s needed lots of help and support to be in a position where he can prolong his playing career, albeit with a limited schedule. “I've had great people around me. My training staff has allowed me to get to this point. I've gotten stronger, more pliable, more endurance. Just great friendships I've had,” he said

“Even on the Tour, these guys texting me and egging me on, the banter back and forth, just incredible support and I would never have gotten to this point or made it back to this point without their support.”

Woods has been paired with McIlroy and Thomas for the opening two rounds in an event that sees Russell Knox and Martin Laird flying the Saltire. “If I'm playing, I play to win,” insisted Woods. “I know that players have played and they are ambassadors of the game and try to grow the game. I can't wrap my mind around that as a competitor.

“If I'm playing in the event I'm going to try and beat you. So I don't understand that making the cut's a great thing. If I entered the event, it's always to get a W. There will come a point in time when my body will not allow me to do that anymore, and it's probably sooner rather than later. But wrapping my head around that transition and being the ambassador role and just trying to be out here with the guys, no, that's not in my DNA.”