Tiger Woods’ return: 4 things we learned

If you’re a Tiger Woods fan, there are not many better sights than seeing the man himself return to the golf course.

The 15-time major winner was spotted over the weekend at The Hay, a short golf course on site at Pebble Beach, which he actually played a part in redesigning in 2021.

Tiger was playing in the public eye for the first time since a painful withdrawal from the Masters, which led to him having surgery just a few days later. This week, he’s in California in an official capacity, as the TGR Junior Invitational tournament was taking place nearby. However, he did manage to sneak in a few holes for himself, too.

The 47-year-old was playing with his son, Charlie, with footage first emerging on X from TaylorMade Golf. Of course, as word got out about the Woods duo playing the course, others started to follow, and more clips began to surface.

The Cat is back. @tigerwoods was out spinning wedges at The Hay today. 🙌 #TeamTaylorMade pic.twitter.com/K6n02yAKR0

— TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) October 7, 2023

Here’s what we learned from the limited, but interesting footage…

The hands are still there

No surprise here. If you doubted this then you really haven’t been paying attention. Although Tiger was only hitting sawn-off wedge shots, his rhythm and touch are clearly still there.

He’s said in the past that he’ll spend lots of time chipping and putting at home, especially when he’s not fit to hit full shots, and it looks apparent in these clips.

In one of the clips that was tracked down by NUCLR Golf on X, we see Woods hit a pretty full wedge to around 15 feet and pin high.

🚨🐅 #WATCH Tiger Woods & his son Charlie played The Hay short course at Pebble Beach yesterday. Tiger is in town this week for the @TGRLiveEvents JR Invitational & TW Invitational.

(🎥: isabelladoub & passport420 – IG) pic.twitter.com/MG5SRT6hwK

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 8, 2023

It’s not much to go on, but if you thought Tiger would lose his touch after a long lay-off, think again.

His right leg is far from 100%

Tiger’s return to golf seems dependent on one thing over anything else, and it’s not hitting shots. Instead, Woods needs to be able to walk for 72 holes – and judging by his movements in these videos, that could be a challenge, especially on an undulating course.

Watch Tiger in these clips closely and you’ll see his right leg is under pressure. Indeed, when he’s holding his finish, you can actually see his lower right leg wobbling. That’s no surprise, as he underwent surgery on his right ankle in April.

While it’s great to see him out on the course and hitting shots, it would be difficult to imagine him playing 72 holes in four days without the help of a buggy.

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He’s still wearing FootJoy shoes

This might seem like a minor point, but when Woods was first spotted in FJs there was quite a stir. It was the 2022 Masters where Tiger showed up wearing the FootJoy Premiere Series shoes, where he explained he needed something that allowed him to be more stable.

“With the rods and plates and screws that are in my leg, I needed something different, something that allowed me to be more stable,” Woods explained at the time.

“That’s what I’ve gone to. Nike’s been fantastic over the years of providing me with equipment. We’ve been working on trying to find something to allow me to do this and swing again. We’re still going to continue doing it, and hopefully we’ll have something soon.”

Nearly two years on, it looks like he’s still favouring FootJoy.

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He could make a return in November

Believe it or not, there’s reports saying that Tiger could tee it up at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which starts on November 30.

According to the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, there’s a “good chance” Woods will tee it up in the 20-man field, where Viktor Hovland is seeking a hat-trick of victories.

If we see him playing in the Bahamas, we’ll almost certainly see him with Charlie at the PNC Championship in Orlando a couple of weeks later. That’s an event that has been something of a staple for the Woods in recent years, with the pair finishing tied-ninth last time out.

Of course, the event that Woods and all his fans have earmarked on their calendars for a return is the Masters. With less than 200 days until the tournament gets underway at Augusta National, it’s certainly a long shot – but with Tiger Woods, you just never know.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor