Tiger Woods is, as he has said once before, progressing nicely toward a potential return to competitive golf. And he's been documenting that return with a series of swing teaser videos on Twitter showcasing his improved health through a series of more complex shots. The developments have come fast and furious, with Woods going from a guy lamenting at the Presidents Cup only having medical clearance to hit 60-yard pitch shots to now hitting stingers and driving Golf Twitter into a tizzy.
So, we thought it might be important to document and annotate the videos Woods has published and almost surely will continue to share as he plots a potential comeback (Hero World Challenge, anyone?).
Aug. 31 -- It begins again
Dr. gave me the ok to start pitching pic.twitter.com/tboq1L3Xdn
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) August 31, 2017
Tiger put the world on notice that he was getting back into what his agent Mark Steinberg dubs "golf activities" on Aug. 31, sharing this slow-mo video of him in a muscle shirt, hitting a pitch shot. Tiger loves slow-mo videos. Loves them. He hasn't figured out yet to only slow-mo a portion of the video so that the whole thing doesn't sound like a "Twilight Zone" interlude, but, they're cool.
Oct. 7 -- And now we're hitting irons
Smooth iron shots pic.twitter.com/v9XLROZnfW
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) October 7, 2017
After a month without any visual proof of progress via Twitter, Woods posts a video on Oct. 7 of him hitting an iron. It looks like a controlled short iron with a smooth, albeit shortened, backswing, and he makes solid contact. What's not to like about that, including the nice finish? Again, it's a slow-mo video (sensing a trend?). This probably triggered some folks into remembering that 9-iron into a simulator with the original "progressing nicely" tweet.
Oct. 10 -- Putting his swing on display
A huge thank you to @kevin_chappell for joining me on the range for a fun exhibition with #TWInvitational guests @tgrliveevents pic.twitter.com/QZiSDv7zPk
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) October 10, 2017
This one caused flashbacks before I saw it, remembering when I saw Woods pump three balls in the water in person at Congressional Country Club from 100 yards at Quicken Loans National media day. However, this video wasn't that at all. Woods still looks to be protecting his back to an extent, and that's going to be expected for the foreseeable future. No need to torque it up to 11 and then crumple in a heap while hitting a 7-iron.
Oct. 15 -- Oh, snap! The driver!
Making Progress pic.twitter.com/I3MZhJ74kI
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) October 15, 2017
Tiger knew everyone would call BS if he tweeted out a slow-mo vid of him hitting the big stick, so he kept this one in real-time. Wearing the Sunday red (on a Sunday), Woods swings driver and looks pretty good doing it. Again, back-pain sufferers and people with two working eyes point out Woods is protecting his back with the follow through. The annoying bugs in the background make it still sound like a slow-mo video.
Oct. 23 -- The Stinger returns
Return of the Stinger. #starwars pic.twitter.com/R7srIDGXjl
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) October 23, 2017
Nothing gets the Tiger fam going like a Stinger video. Nothing. I'm not sure why, but it's probably because it requires some torque and also requires faith to make some serious contact with the ground. However, this video of a Vintage Stinger even got the skeptics salivating. Woods looks healthy, and he's performing his signature shot. The Star Wars play is also nice, though dubbing in some kind of related music over the slow-mo would've been appreciated.
So, when's Tiger coming back?
All of these videos naturally leave people wondering when a nearly 42-year-old man who hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2013 is coming back. Woods hasn't won a major in a decade come June, but there seems a genuinely-held hope that the Big Cat has one more run -- however long that is -- in him. Maybe he does. Maybe it ends like this last comeback, although hopefully not with a spinal fusion. But Woods is keeping golf's interest piqued at what he could do next and wondering if he'll play in the Bahamas in December.
