Back in mid-September, Tiger Woods underwent a sixth back surgery to address spasms and, since then, many have wondered when the 15-time Major winner will make a return to competitive action.
As we have seen in previous years, Woods' return usually coincides with the Hero World Challenge but, for 2024, the tournament host didn't feature in the field, claiming in the event's press conference on Tuesday that he isn't "tournament sharp" to play against the world's best players and has "a long way to go".
Attention now turns to when he will play next, and that could well be at the PNC Championship, a tournament he has played in for the last four years with his son, Charlie, with their best finish being a runner-up spot in 2021.
However, speaking on Sunday about the idea of a return at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, the 48-year-old seemed to keep his cards close to his chest...
Chatting to NBC’s Dan Hicks in the broadcast booth during the final round coverage of the Hero World Challenge, Woods uttered two words when asked about the PNC Championship, simply stating: “We’ll see.”
Making his last appearance in July at The Open Championship, Woods underwent surgery in September after missing the cut. Since then, he has been seen a handful of times watching his son, Charlie, playing in various tournaments around the States.
What we do know is that 18 partnerships have been confirmed for the PNC Championship, so far, with there being two available slots left. Last year, the Woods father-son duo were one of the last pairs to commit, with the deadline for entering the 2024 edition of the PNC Championship being the Friday before the tournament gets underway. What's more, the tournament is 36 holes and allows the use of a golf cart, something that Tiger has used in the past.
Along with the return, Woods also spoke about the US Ryder Cup Captain, Keegan Bradley, who the American described as "a natural fit."
Speaking in the booth, Woods stated: "To where he’s from and what he’s meant to the north-east, I think it’s a natural fit. His connection – he’s not really that old. So most of the guys he’s played with and I think that he has naturally been a very emotional and very fiery, opinionated leader and I think that he’ll do really well at Bethpage."
