Miami: Tiger Woods displayed progress on Monday in his latest back surgery comeback bid, the 14-time major champion posting a video of himself on Twitter hitting a “stinger” shot with a long iron.
Former world No. 1 Woods, who eight days ago posted a video of himself hitting a driver, has only recently been approved to resume full golf activities after a six-month recovery from lower back fusion surgery, his fourth back surgery, in April.
“Return of the Stinger,” Woods tweeted on Monday afternoon.
Woods, 41, used the Stinger shot to great advantage during his heyday more than a decade ago, but has not played since February, when he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic and has not won a major since the 2008 US Open.
Woods posted the message “Making Progress” with his driver video after an October 7 post that noted “Smooth Iron Shots.”
Last December, Woods made a short-lived comeback at the Hero World Challenge, a small-field invitational event in the Bahamas to benefit his charity foundation, and if his game and health allow he could still enter this December’s edition of the event, two open spots remaining in the field.
Woods served as a US team assistant captain at the Presidents Cup last month and said he was uncertain if he would ever return to competitive golf.
The diversion programme for intoxicated drivers that Woods is expected to enter on Wednesday is one of several across the US aimed at reducing the number of repeat offenders and backlogs of court cases, reports add from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The 41-year-old Woods is scheduled to plead guilty at a court hearing to reckless driving, a less severe charge than driving under the influence, as part of a Palm Beach County, Florida, programme that has graduated almost 2,500 first-time offenders since it began four years ago.
Deputy State Attorney Richard Clausi, who oversees the county’s misdemeanour prosecutions, said that less than 1 per cent of the programme’s participants have reoffended. He said the key has been getting offenders to take responsibility for their actions without requiring a trial and making sure they complete the programme.
“It’s still early, but we think it has been a success,” he said.
