Tiger Woods can begin his golf comeback if he decides to.
Doctors cleared the former golf superstar to begin practicing without restrictions, his agent Mark Steinberg said Tuesday morning, according to The Associated Press. Woods is recovering from his fourth back surgery since 2014, and he’s not putting a timetable on returning to competitive golf.
“We haven’t even addressed when he comes back to play again,” Steinberg said, per The AP. “We have not addressed one thing. He wants to play this so conservatively.”
The 14-time major champion is testing his golf muscles methodically.
“He has started to hit balls at a more aggressive rate,” Steinberg said. “He feels really good, but he’s going to take it very slowly. I think he’s excited that he’s not feeling pain. That’s what gets him excited, being able to bend down and pick up his kids.
“He’s taking it from wedges and short irons to the longer clubs. But he’s still doing it in a really cautious manner.”
Woods hasn’t played a PGA Tour event since Feb. 3, when he withdrew from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic due to back spasms. He told reporters Sept. 27 he could imagine never playing competitive golf again, but he also indicated he’d listen to his surgeon’s advice before contemplating a comeback.
Now that the surgeon has given Woods a green light, it’s up to him to proceed back to the links.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
