adminBethesda (United States). — Tiger Woods made final preparations on Monday for his return to competitive golf after a three-month injury layoff, a test at Congressional Country Club that could herald a British Open appearance. On the same day he sank to fifth in the world rankings, Woods hosted a private pro-am event for club members ahead of the US$6,5 million US PGA National, which begins tomorrow at the difficult 7,574-yard layout in suburban Washington.
“I will be a bit rusty but I want to play myself back into competitive shape,” Woods said in announcing he would play this week. “Excited for the challenge ahead.”
Woods, who won the National in 2009 and 2012, had a practice round yesterday and will tee off at 6:30 this morning in a pro-am event for the tournament, which benefits his charity foundation.
“You just have to take it day by day,” said Sean Foley, Woods’ swing coach.
“There’s really not a whole lot to it. It’s just seeing how he feels day to day, warming up and playing the course.”
If Woods plays well at the National, he is expected to play in the British Open, which starts July 17 at Royal Liverpool, where he won the 2006 British Open.
Woods (38) would then be only three weeks from the year’s last major event, the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship.
The 14-time major champion, chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, missed the Masters and US Open after undergoing a March 31 microdiscectomy, back surgery to ease pressure on a pinched nerver. — AFP.
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