Tiger Woods' Return Spoiled in TGL Defeat
Tiger Woods hadn't played golf in about a year, but he finally made his long-awaited return to the sport on Tuesday night. In the championship match, he took his first swings for the TGL team Jupiter Links, which fell short in its quest for a title. Still, it was good to finally see Woods back in action, even if just for one night on a simulator.
Tiger Woods returns in TGL championship
All season long, Tiger Woods had been on the sidelines while his team, Jupiter Links, competed to get to the championship. It's pretty impressive to have a 15-time Major-winner who can make his return for the title, but it was ultimately all for naught.
Los Angeles Golf Club made three consecutive eagles to put the finishing touches on a 9-2 victory in the TGL finals. Woods could do nothing to help Max Homa, Kevin Kisner, and Tom Kim get the title after the group missed the playoffs entirely last season.
"We got our a** kicked at the end," Woods said. "Three eagles in a row. ... I missed a short one to give them momentum, and we never got it back." Woods had said before this matchup that it was a stepping stone on his return to golf, but he didn't say what this appearance meant for his next attempt to suit up.
All he would say was it was good to return and play with his teammates. "It felt great to be back with these guys," Woods said. "Frustrated we didn't get it done. We had opportunities. It feels good to be back. I'd like to be back in better circumstances."
Masters?
Tiger Woods gave no indication whether or not he'd play in the Masters in a few weeks. Golf will focus on Augusta National on April 9-12, and Woods is technically in the field because he has a lifetime invitation, but he will likely have to withdraw ahead of time.
"This body ... it doesn't recover like it did when it was 24, 25. It doesn't mean I'm not trying," he said. "I've had a couple bad injuries here over the past years that I've had to fight through, and it's taken some time. But I keep trying."
That doesn't stop his desire, though. "I want to play. I love the tournament. I'm going to be there either way with The Loop [a short course he designed] that's going up there, as well as the champions dinner," Woods admitted. "We'll see how it goes. I'll be practicing, playing at home this week, and keep trying to make progress."
What beyond Augusta?
Let's assume Tiger Woods is not going to play the Masters. It would be stunning to see him suit up, and while he absolutely wants to, he probably knows his body isn't ready for four days on a grueling course (or even two if he misses the cut) yet. He only just played a little bit on a simulator.
When could he play after that? The PGA Tour granted Woods exemption into every single Signature Event, so if he wants to play those tournaments, he can. He also loves to play the Majors, and after the Masters, the next one is May 14. This way, he has more time to recover.
Between then and now, the Tour has the following Signature Events:
- RBC Heritage: April 16-19
- Truist Championship: May 7-10
Given that the Truist comes one week before the PGA Championship, which Woods would undoubtedly rather play, an appearance there is highly unlikely. The Heritage could be an option. However, if he's not ready for the Masters, he may not be ready one week after that, either.
His next most likely appearance is the PGA Championship. There, he'll hopefully be recovered and in good enough shape to compete.
Read More
