Golf great Tiger Woods has admitted that he is nearly finished playing golf competitively because he “physically” cannot handle it anymore.
In an interview Monday ahead of the Hero World Challenge, the man who is nearly single-handedly responsible for golf’s resurgence of popularity admitted that he wouldn’t be competing much longer.
Woods has never fully recovered from the Feb. 2021 car crash that nearly resulted in the amputation of his leg, and even before that, he had serious back issues that impacted his game. And his health has become a foe he cannot beat.
Woods played in three tournaments last year and finished way back in the pack at the Masters, the latter of which he is a five-time winner. But his dream of tying and even beating the reigning Masters champion — Jack Nicklaus, who won the tournament six times — will never come to fruition.
Woods admitted Monday that he can only handle a few tournaments a year.
“The goal is to play just the major championships and maybe one or two more. That’s it,” Woods said, according to Yahoo Sports. “I mean, that’s physically, that’s all I can do.”
Woods added that last year’s slate was really pushing his health.
“I didn’t expect to play three majors this year,” he said. “We were hoping for just the British Open, but I was able to get two more in there, so that was a big positive.”
“I like playing. I like competing,” Woods admitted, “but unfortunately — I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want — I just can’t walk.”
Woods withdrew from the Hero World Challenge, claiming a bout of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
Woods also once again blasted Greg Norman, the head of the rival league LIV, and said that the rift between the PGA Tour and LIV could not be healed until Norman is gone.
“Right now as it is, not right now, not with their leadership, not with Greg (Norman, LIV CEO) there and his animosity towards the Tour itself,” Woods exclaimed. “I don’t see that happening. As Rory (McIlroy) said and I said it as well, I think Greg’s got to leave and then we can eventually, hopefully, have a stay between the two lawsuits and figure something out.”
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