Tiger Woods has acknowledged his 'curiosity' ahead of making his competitive return to golf at this week's Hero World Challenge.
The 15-time major champion traditionally hosts the event in the Bahamas, but there was an assumption at one stage that his duties would remain off the course.
In the spring, Woods underwent fusion surgery on his ankle, with the initial timeframe allegedly being between six to nine months as a bare minimum.
However, just over seven months since his latest operation and the 47-year-old will participate in the select field in a bid to bolster his hopes of playing on the PGA Tour next year.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the legendary American indicated that his rough plan was to try to play one tournament a month, starting with the Genesis Invitational in February.
Firstly, though, he must prove his fitness, particularly to himself having acknowledged that he has no desire to play unless he feels that he is capable of adding another tournament victory to his esteemed list.
🗣️ "I'm just as curious as you are to see what happens"
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 28, 2023
Tiger Woods looks ahead to making his return at the Hero World Challenge after seven months out through injury 🏌️ pic.twitter.com/fGtpdWPpW3
Woods told reporters: "There will come a time when I can no longer win. When that time comes, I will walk away."
Nevertheless, the veteran suggested that he felt encouraged by how he was walking comfortably around the course when caddying for son Charlie at a recent junior tournament.
He added: "I was hitting golf balls a lot trying to get Charlie ready for the event. Then, post-event, I thought, 'I can probably do this,'" Woods said.
"I've played a lot of holes. I haven't used a pencil and a scorecard. My game feels rusty. I haven't played in a while. I'm excited to compete and play. I'm just as curious as all of you are to see what happens."
After a car crash in 2021, Woods developed post-traumatic arthritis in his repaired ankle, subsequently contributing to being advised to have the ankle fused after withdrawing from the 2023 Masters.
He has completed just one tournament since the 2022 Open Championship, earning a 45th-placed finish at the Genesis Invitational during the early part of the year.
Darren Plant
