Tiger Woods’ 2017 started and ended promising, but in between he underwent another back surgery and was arrested for DUI.
Tiger Woods’ 2017 started and ended promising, but in between he underwent another back surgery and was arrested for DUI.
Woods revealed he recently teed it up with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump International near Woods’ home in Jupiter, Fla. Woods came away impressed by Trump’s game. “What most impressed me was how far he hits the ball at 70 years old,” Woods wrote on his website. “He takes a pretty good lash.”
After a 15-month layoff following back surgery, Woods returned in December 2016 with a mostly-positive week at the Hero World Challenge. That set the stage for an ambitious early-season schedule in 2017 that Woods announced in early January. He penciled in back-to-back starts at Torrey Pines and Dubai, followed by a week off then consecutive starts at Riviera and the Honda Classic.
On the eve of his 2017 debut at Torrey Pines, Woods announced he signed a deal with TaylorMade to use the club company’s driver, fairway woods, irons and wedges. Woods was a free agent on the equipment market after Nike announced last year they were going to stop making golf equipment.
Woods said his back held up fine after rounds of 76-72 in cool conditions at Torrey Pines, but he still missed the cut in his first PGA Tour start in 17 months. The next test would be a 17-hour flight to Dubai. “That’s one of the questions,” Woods said, “how my body is going to handle flights. Flying out here was something I hadn’t done in a while.”
After a first-round 77, Woods withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic before the second round due to back spasms. Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, seemed optimistic that it wasn’t anything serious since it was just spasms and not nerve pain.
A few weeks later, it starts becoming clear Woods might be dealing with more than back spasms. He withdrew from the Genesis Open at Riviera and the Honda Classic. Woods’ foundation now runs the event at Riviera, and he was forced to cancel a scheduled press conference, and Woods was unable to hand out the trophy. Steinberg said doctors had advised Tiger to remain “horizontal.”
Presidents Cup captain Steve Stricker exchanged text messages with his assistant, and Stricker reported things didn’t sound good. “He’s working hard at it, but I don’t think he’s doing that well right now physically,” Stricker said.
Woods announced he is not playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the first without the King. “Unfortunately, due to ongoing rest and rehabilitation on my back, I won’t be able to play in this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational,” Woods said. “I’m especially disappointed because I wanted to be at Bay Hill to help honor Arnold. This is one event I didn’t want to skip. Arnold has meant so much to me and my family; I thought of him as a close friend, and Sam and Charlie were both born in the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. He will be greatly missed and can never truly be replaced.”
Woods signed autographs for about 250 fans at a Barnes and Noble in NYC in support of his book “The 1997 Masters: My Story” to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his historic Masters win. During an appearance on “Good Morning America” Woods said “I’m trying everything to be able to get back and play.”
For the third time in four years, Woods missed the Masters due to injury. “Unfortunately, I won’t be competing in this year’s Masters,” Woods said. “I did about everything I could to play, but my back rehabilitation didn’t allow me the time to get tournament ready.”
Woods was able to attend the Champions Dinner at the Masters, but according to longtime friend Mark O’Meara Woods wasn’t doing well. “I know it’s a struggle for him, I can tell you that much,” O’Meara said of Woods, whom he has known for the past two decades. “He misses it. When you’re a competitor like he is, and you’ve accomplished what he has, he certainly misses being here and playing the game at a high level because that’s what he’s been all about for all of these years.”
During an appearance on the “The Rich Eisen Show,” Notah Begay said Woods may be back sooner than later despite the gloomy reports. "[The Masters] probably wouldn’t have been the best place for Tiger to start the year out after this most recent setback, and I think we should probably look, maybe something just after The Players Championship,” Begay said. “Oh, [the U.S. Open] a definite possibility,” he added. “That’s probably the event that’s circled on his calendar, but he’s got to at least get one or two starts in before that to see where his body, where his game’s at and if he can hit the shots he wants to hit.”
Woods didn’t offer too many details on his possible return at the unveiling on his course design at Big Cedar Lodge. “I have good days and bad days,” Woods said. “I’ve had three back operations, and that’s the nature of the business unfortunately. That’s all I can say.”
The following day, Woods announced he’s had his fourth back surgery since April 2014. Woods had a “minimally invasive” anterior lumbar interbody fusion between his L5 and S1 vertebrae, a procedure that entailed removing a damaged disc and “re-elevating” another disc which was collapsed. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”
One month after his surgery, Woods reported the procedure provided him with instant relief. “It is hard to express how much better I feel,” Woods wrote. “It was instant nerve relief. I haven’t felt this good in years.” Still Woods provided no timetable for his return. “But, I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again.”
Woods was arrested early in the morning after his damaged car was parked on the side of the road in Jupiter. He was cited for driving under the influence and improper parking. “I understand the severity of what I did and take full responsibility for my actions,” Woods said. “What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.”
Three weeks after he was arrested, Woods announced he was seeking professional help for managing his prescription medications. “I’m currently receiving professional help to manage my medications and the ways that I deal with back pain and a sleep disorder. I want to thank everyone for the amazing outpouring of support and understanding especially fans and players on tour.”
Woods tweeted that he “recently completed an out of state private intensive program” to address his use of prescription medications. “I will continue to tackle this going forward with my doctors, family and friends. I am so very thankful for all the support I’ve received.”
A month after he revealed he was back to chipping and putting, Woods said he was hitting 60-yard shots, but he still had yet to take a full swing. “I have my six-month back X-rays coming up,” wrote Woods, who added that he’s working out six days a week. “Once my surgeon takes a look, he’ll give me the parameters of what I can do moving forward.”
At the Presidents Cup, Woods made his first public comments since his back surgery, and he said he wasn’t sure what the future held for him and his return to the PGA Tour. “My timetable is based on what my surgeon said,” Woods said. “I’m still training. I’m getting strong. But I certainly don’t have my golf muscles trained, because obviously I’m not doing anything golf related.”
A day after Woods posted a video of himself on social media hitting a driver, his manager revealed that the 14-time major champion was cleared by his doctor to resume full golf activities with no restrictions. “He’s going to take that news with enthusiasm but caution as well,” Steinberg said.
Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving and entered a diversion program following his arrest in May on a DUI charge. Woods attended the seven-minute hearing and has 12 months of probation to complete the program. The charge could be expunged from his record if he successfully completes the program.
In a stunning announcement - and only two weeks after he was cleared to resume full golf activities - Woods said he will make his first start since his back surgery at the Hero World Challenge, which benefits his foundation.
No Black Friday shopping for this trio. On the morning after Thanksgiving, the president tweeted that “I will be heading over to Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter, to play golf (quickly) with Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson.’
Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during the first round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany, Bahamas on November 30, 2017 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS - DECEMBER 03: Tiger Woods reacts to his putt on the seventh green during the final round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany course on December 3, 2017 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Ryan Young/PGA TOUR)