Tiger Woods' first start of 2024 felt like it was over no sooner that it had begun, with the 15-time Major winner completing just 24 holes at Riviera Country Club in the Genesis Invitational last week.
The 48-year-old was struck down by illness and forced to pull out early on the Friday, a cruel twist of fate given his recent injury problems had appeared to be kept in check.
As a result, the tournament host was not able to be in attendance on Sunday and hand over the trophy to Hideki Matsuyama - who put together a stunning final round despite admitting he only felt he hit the ball "OK" during his nine-birdie 62.
A day before Woods confirmed he had come down with influenza in a social-media post, the 82-time PGA Tour winner answered questions on how his body was holding up upon his competitive return and whether his plans to play around a tournament a month moving forward had changed at all.
Discussing the rustiness, he said: "I'm going to be rusty and I have to do a better job at home prepping. We need to do a better job with lifting and treating and continuation of rehab protocols, all those things. I just haven't done it in a while.
"I think sharpness, as I said, making adjustments on the fly like that and the feel for a round and how to make those adjustments, I haven't done that in a while. As I said when we were playing here, I was getting better each and every day, but then again I haven't played in a while again. That's kind of the frustrating part of it."
Back in November - ahead of his first competitive tee time anywhere since limping out of the 2023 Masters - Woods explained that is he was "pain-free" after ankle surgery and was looking at featuring in five to six tournaments during 2024.
Speaking before the Hero World Challenge, the 48-year-old outlined a basic schedule for himself in the coming months. Woods said: “I think that best scenario would be maybe a tournament a month.
“I think that's realistic whether that's - you would have to start with maybe at Genesis and something in March near The Players. Again, we have set up right now the biggest events are one per month. It sets itself up for that. Now, I need to get myself ready for all that. I think this week is a big step in that direction.”
Therefore, having at least started at the tournament he hosts and only failed to complete it due to illness rather than injury, Woods is highly likely to return to competitive action in March.
The PGA Tour continues with the Mexico Open (Feb 22-25) before moving on to the Cognizant Classic (Feb 29-Mar 3) - a tournament that Rory McIlroy has added to his pre-Masters schedule. Woods' illness suggests he is unlikely to return so soon, but if he was feeling undercooked and wanted to gain more reps before The Players, that is a tournament with an outside shout of welcoming the 15-time Major winner.
However, it is most likely that Woods simply spends plenty of time practicing away from the spotlight and returns to the PGA Tour in mid-March when The Players Championship rolls around. Due to Woods' 2019 Masters victory, he has an exemption into that event this year and would not require a sponsor's invite.
Woods has won at TPC Sawgrass twice in the past - 2001 and 2013 - with reports suggesting he would be playing it this year, too, after hiring new caddie Lance Bennett.
And even if he opted to take March off entirely, the five-time Masters winner will definitely play Augusta in April providing he does not sustain another injury in the meantime.
But, in truth, only Woods knows what his immediate and long-term schedule might look like, with a definitive answer regarding his short-term calendar expected to arrive in the not-too-distant future.
