Tiger Woods’ swing shows potential to win again

Can he win again? It’s the question everyone is asking, but is Tiger Woods’ swing up to it? 

We watched on with great interest as the 15-time major champion took to the driving range ahead of his competitive return at the Hero World Challenge, where we got the first proper look at his action since undergoing surgery after his Masters withdrawal.

If you’re a Tiger fan, you’ll be delighted with what you saw.

Tiger Woods swing: How is it looking?

Before we break it down, let’s take a look courtesy of this clip from Full Swing Golf…

Exclusive video with @tigerwoods today from the range at the Hero World Challenge as he gets dialed in with #FullSwingKIT.

Ready to practice like the best in the game? Click the link in bio to get yours with our holiday special pricing. pic.twitter.com/53HAGGIs7A

— Full Swing (@FullSwingGolf) November 28, 2023

So what did we notice?

Posture

The first thing to note here is that Tiger is more upright, particularly at the transition and into the downswing.

When you watch Woods’ swing from side on, you can see that he’s getting the club on a steeper angle of attack coming into the ball.

That’s certainly not a bad thing, and if anything it will allow him to create more power – but it’s a bit of a change from the Tiger of old.

Speed

For someone who is about to turn 48, and has had as many surgeries as he has, Woods swings it incredibly quickly. The fact he can hit the ball as hard as he can is unbelievable.

That would have been a concern following this latest procedure, but if you were worried about his distance off the tee, you can relax.

As you would expect, a lot of Tiger’s speed now comes from his upper body, rather than his legs.

While he’ll never have the ability to overpower a golf course in the same way he once did, Woods looks like he’ll have no issue in keeping up with them off the tee. We’ll get a better idea of how far he’s hitting it when he plays alongside Justin Thomas on Thursday.

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Length

This is absolutely not a surprise to anyone, but Tiger’s swing isn’t the same long and fluid action from many years ago.

But, that doesn’t mean that his swing is too short.

In fact, the opposite is true.

I mean, just look at that position at the top.

That is a man who is not struggling to get the club to the top of the backswing. Textbook.

Flexibility

All of this is well and good, but if Tiger can’t get to impact properly, then none of it matters.

Well, he certainly can get there and it’s a great looking position.

The first thing you want to note here is where his hips are when he strikes the ball. His left hip is moving away from the ball, allowing him to get the club moving through the strike.

He might not have the same mobility in his lower body, but it still looks enough to rotate and generate the power he needs.

So, can Tiger Woods win again?

On this evidence, it’s very difficult to say no.

Of course, Tiger needs to be able to walk 72 holes, but if we take him at his word – he says he can – then get ready to witness something special. 

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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