With no return date in sight, Tiger creeps back to practice

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Tiger Woods couldn't say when he'll be back on the course, but he did confirm Steve Williams will be with him when he does.

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Tiger Woods couldn't say when he'll be back, but he did confirm Steve Williams will be with him when he does return.

Dec. 17, 2008
By Art Spander, Special to PGATOUR.COM

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif -- This is what we learned from Tiger Woods: When he plays golf again, Steve Williams still will be his caddie.

This is what we didn't learn: When Tiger will play golf again.

One mystery solved, not that there was a great deal of suspense about Williams, despite a couple of uncomplimentary remarks by Steve about Tiger's rival, Phil Mickelson, which obligated Woods to communicate with Phil.

Walter/Getty Images

Steve Williams showed regret for comments made about Phil Mickelson earlier this week.

Asked whether Williams still was on his bag next year, Tiger cryptically responded "yes he is, but what we're carrying I don't know yet.''

What Tiger, speaking Wednesday before his own event, the Chevron World Challenge, has been credited with carrying is the TOUR. And so he continues to be queried about the future.

That mystery is unsolved.

Woods underwent ACL surgery on the left knee in June a few days after his courageous win in the U.S. Open, leaving a void in the game and leaving the rest of us asking the unanswerable: When indeed will he return?

"I haven't hit full shots with my entire bag yet,'' was Tiger's answer. "As far as coming back, I don't know. I don't know how it's going to respond with repeated practice days and long days of trying to get back. That's obviously going to take a little time.''

Woods is here -- obviously -- but in effect, he's not here. He not only hosts this tournament, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, he usually wins it and donates the $1.3 million first prize to the foundation.

This year? No golf, which, considering conditions -- temperatures in the 40s and rain -- may not be all that bad.

"I'm frustrated,'' said Woods about not being in the field, "but with the weather, I'm glad I'm not playing.''

Progress has come in small increments. There is no schedule, no plans -- just daily rehabilitation and a realization that after years of problems, the leg finally will be strong.

Doctors and therapists control his life. "As an athlete,'' said Woods, "you're always pushing it, used to getting out there if you're a little bit injured, a little bit hurt. You go out there and compete. This is different. This is a lot more extensive. In order to have it not repeat again, you're going to have to listen to the doctors.''

The competitor has become the father. There has been unexpected time at home, watching daughter Sam grow, which he would not have been able to do while on TOUR.

The competitor has become the spectator, watching players who would seek to become another Tiger Woods.

"As far as the younger guys,'' said Woods, "Anthony (Kim) and Camilo (Villegas) play well. You saw that was coming. Their talent. It was just a matter of time before they broke through. Sergio Garcia has become more consistent. He's playing all around the world and playing well, so it goes to show he's made improvements.

"Paddy (Padraig Harrington), we always knew once he won one major, he was going to do it again. ... The confidence you get from winning one, and then two, just proves one wasn't a fluke and gives you all the confidence in the world.''

Confidence Tiger -- who will be 33 on Dec. 30 -- always had, something he exhibited in winning the Open at Torrey Pines, beating Rocco Mediate in a playoff.

Woods has viewed bits and pieces of the Open on videotape and, yes, he wonders how he accomplished what he did.

"Some of the highlight packages,'' said Woods of his review. "I didn't want to watch shot after shot, my bad ones, watching the leg. ... Yeah, I'm more amazed I pulled it off.''

He remembers going back to the hotel each night during the Open rounds, remembers the swelling, the pain. "It wasn't a whole lot of fun, but it had to be done.''

For the first time in a long time, Tiger faces the unknown. When does he start? Will the leg hold up as it is supposed to do? When does he again hit those 325-yard drives and sink those 20-foot birdie putts?

"There's no fear for me,'' Tiger said when someone wondered. "Because no one is going to be hitting (the knee). A little different than when Tom Brady comes back and 350-pound guys are falling at his feet.

"Is there hesitancy? Yes. No doubt. As I've progressed through shorter clubs, hitting fuller shots, you remember what it was like. For me, the last time I hit a full shot was at the Open. It didn't feel very good. It's something everyone has to overcome and has to go through.''

Maybe Tiger comes back in February. Maybe not until March. Maybe not even until the Masters in April.

"As far as intention,'' he said about playing before Augusta, "that's always been an intent. As far as reality, that's two different things. ... Everyone heals at different rates. ... No, (the Masters) isn't the easiest place to come back. Would I want that scenario to happen? No, I wouldn't want it to. But if I can play, then I'd like to be able to tee it up.''