Tiger Woods: ‘There’s nothing I can look forward to’

“If I was a betting man, my money would be on him sitting on a buggy and not having his clubs anywhere near Hazeltine, not just on fitness but on form as well”, says BBC golf correspondent, Iain Carter.

“If that’s all that entails, then it’s been a pretty good run”. What’s more? Woods also revealed that he mutes the volume so those “he is playing against can not hear who he is”.

It sparked speculation of retirement, or at least the end of a career that golf fans once knew.

The amusing thing, though, is that this wasn’t said about Woods, it was said by him.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating for him. Hope to see you back on the course soon”. I said, “Sam, thank goodness you’re here”. Even with Tiger Woods’ golf woes he hopes to be able to “get after it with these guys”, and get back into the game before too long.

“I would like to be able to get to that first (bending over to pick up ball)”.

Woods hasn’t won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open. Scott once said that round almost persuaded him not to turn pro.

With Tiger Woods giving very little away, it seems that only time will tell if and when he competes again. “We’re all quick to forget that sometimes”. It was Tiger’s last competitive appearance in finishing a respectable 10th.

At 40, Woods was already in the twilight of his career, even if he was fully healthy. “You add up all those games, it takes a toll on the body”, he said of the National Basketball Association star’s few injury-plagued seasons recently.

“He’s like any of us. This is going to be an interesting week,”‘ he said. “I just want them to understand before they get to Internet age and they log on to something or have their friends tell them something”. As a result a lot of governments have gotten involved and subsidised golf programmes at the grassroots level to get players for not just the 2016 Olympics, but 20 (2020) or 24 (2024). That doesn’t mean adding tournaments to the schedule, rather playing one where they haven’t been in the previous four years.

This news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, especially considering the 39-year-old has been struggling on the course and with injuries recently. I think it’s reasonable. “I’ve had a pretty good career”.

And that prompted a heartfelt Instagram post from fellow Nike athlete McIlroy, who last week expressed his concern about Woods” health upon his announcement as a Ryder Cup vice-captain to Davis Love III next year, saying he “didn’t know what to think about it’.