Tiger Woods has made his eagerly awaited return to St Andrews for this week’s Open Championship, despite fears continuing to grow around his fitness. Woods was out on the Old Course - where he has won two of his three Claret Jugs - on Sunday, as he began his practice for the major championship which kicks off on Thursday.
The American returns to competitive golf two months after his last outing at the PGA Championship, where he was forced to withdraw after three rounds due to the effects of his injuries suffered in a car accident in February 2021 began to take toll.
Woods made his comeback to the sport at this year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta, 14 months on from the crash. Following his return, the 82-time PGA Tour champion reiterated that his schedule in competitive golf was now a part-time one, but was committed to playing in all four majors.
Following his outings at Augusta and Southern Hills though, Woods was forced to pull out of last month’s US Open with the issues of his PGA Championship struggle still apparent. Eight weeks on, the 15-time major winner is back in action, despite the continued worry surrounding his fitness.
As Woods took to the Old Course yesterday, all eyes were understandably on the 46-year-old. As he went through his practice round, Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir gave a somewhat worrying update on the American, commenting that Woods ‘wasn’t looking great and ‘clearly in a lot of pain’.
These thoughts were also echoed by three-time Open champion Nick Faldo, who believes competing this week will be ‘really hard work’ for the American star. Commenting on Woods’ chances of competing in St Andrews, Faldo said: “I don't think there's chances, no. "Physically, he played at Adare Manor and was in a cart for a couple of days to rest the leg.
“The physical challenge is just walking a golf course and even though St Andrews looks flat, there's so many twisting undulations walking that course, it's going to be physically really hard work for him. Even if Tiger was fit and strong, he doesn't play much.” One man who has looked to quash these worries though is Woods’ close friend and playing partner over the weekend Justin Thomas.
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Thomas - who is gunning for the Claret Jug himself - joined Woods on both Saturday and Sunday on the Old Course, and had a positive update on his partner’s swing and chances of competing this week. “His swing still looks as good as ever, it does,” the PGA Champion said.
“Would I be surprised if he challenged this week? No. I’ve learned better than to challenge anything about him… “I’ve been picking his brains a little bit," Thomas added. "I understand that he’s going to be a little withholding of some information. But I’m trying to needle it out of him and get as much as I can because he’s done pretty well around this place.”
