Tiger Woods is back -- doctor's orders. After sharing three videos on social media in early October of him swinging various golf clubs -- a wedge shot, an iron shot and a driver swing -- Tiger Woods has been given approval to resume what's dubbed by his agent as all "golf activities."
That means Woods is allowed to practice, play golf and try to make his way back to competitive golf and a PGA Tour return. The all-clear came approximately six months after Woods underwent spinal fusion surgery on his lower back in hopes of alleviating chronic back and nerve pain.
"He got a nice report and is allowed to proceed," said Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, to ESPN, which reported the news. "He can do as much as he needs to do. Tiger is going to take this very, very slowly. This is good, but he plans to do it the right way."
Woods said at the Presidents Cup at the end of September that he had been limited by his surgeon to hitting pitch shots around his Florida home and nearby Medalist Club. With the videos on Twitter, it was clear Woods felt confident enough about his recovery and rehabilitation process to show where he is, even if that means demonstrating some anxiety and protection in the latter stages of his driver swing.
Of course, there's a rush to conclusions anytime Woods does anything. Now there's thinking Woods is plotting a return to competitive golf in 2017, perhaps at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December. Woods' TGR Live runs the event, which benefits his foundation. He returned to competitive golf in the event last year, finishing 15th out of 17 players who completed the 18-player event.
Steinberg said to ESPN the subject of a return hasn't come up yet.
"We have not even talked about it," Steinberg said. "We will see what each day brings, what each week brings."
Woods hasn't played since February, when he withdrew from the European Tour's Omega Dubai Desert Classic ahead of the second round, citing pain after a first-round, birdie-free 77 during which he looked uncomfortable with his back. It was Woods' third tournament back after his second and third back surgeries in fall 2015.
