Enlightening Tiger Woods interview on aiming to make impact in 'different way'

The 15-time major winner was speaking in his first press conference since undergoing lumbar disc replacement surgery in October. It has ruled the tournament host out of a playing role in this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and he won’t be teaming up with son, Charlie, either in the upcoming PNC Challenge in Florida. “Not only would it be unfair to my son but it wouldn’t be fair to another team that could experience that we’ve had for a number of years,” he said of the latter.

Woods spoke about 2025 being a “tough year” due to “a lot of things happen on and off the golf course” when he was asked why he wanted to mount another comeback, having already pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in sport when he won The Masters for a sixth time in 2019 after fearing his career was finished. “I'd like to come back to just playing golf again,” he said. “I've had to sit on the sidelines for most of this year and, quite frankly, the end of last year. I haven't done that - just play - in a long time.”

His last competitive outing was in the The 152nd Open at Royal Troon just over 16 months ago. He revealed that he’d had a procedure on his back last September to “buy me a little time” only to then suffer an untimely blow when he ruptured his left tendon in March. That left his back feeling “wonky” and an MRI confirmed that it “didn't look very good”. Hence the most recent in a long line of back procedures.

“Well, it's not as fast as I'd like it to be,” admitted Woods, speaking as he sat beside Dr Pawan Munjal, the executive chairman of Hero MotoCorp at Albany Resort, in reply to being asked how recovery is going. “It was a good thing to do, something I needed to have happen and it just takes time and dedication to the rehab process.

‘Just cleared to chip and putt’

“Unfortunately, I've been through this rehab process before, it's just step by step. I just got cleared last week to chip and putt. Once I get a feel for practising, exploding, playing, the recovery process, then I can assess where I'm going to play and how much I'll play. I'm a ways away from that part of it and that type of decision, that type of commitment level.”

Ahead of an event that features Bob MacIntyre for the second year in a row, Woods, who revealed he hadn’t been approached about captaining the US in the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland, spent the vast majority of the time being asked questions about his role as chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee, a new group set up in August to look at enacting “significant change” to the US circuit.

He talked about how the committee is working towards giving golf fans the “best product we possibly can” and spoke about how a reduced schedule, which might start as late as after the SuperBowl in early February, could deliver a “financial windfall” for the players.

It was truly enlightening to hear Woods, who was often accused of being selfish during his career, to speak with true passion about his role and working in tandem with Brian Rolapp, who came in as the PGA Tour’s CEO earlier this year, with the former NFL chief working alongside current commissioner Jay Monahan until his contract comes to an end at the end of 2026.

“We're focused on trying to do what's best for our product here on the PGA Tour,” replied Woods to being asked if he was satisfied with the tour’s international schedule at a time when it is involved in a Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour. “Yes, we have events outside the United States that are either co-sanctioned with other governing bodies, but right now we're focused on what we're trying to do here first.

“By doing what's best here, we're able to create more opportunities globally and also even domestically as well. Yes, we're trying to create other global opportunities for our players, for other tours to enhance their tours, enhance their product, but I think it all starts with the best tour on the planet, which is ours.”

In truth, he saved the best until last, having been asked was his personal motivation to contribute heavily to the strength of the PGA Tour. “Well, the PGA Tour gave me an opportunity to chase after a childhood dream,” declared Woods. “I got a chance to hit my first ball in my first PGA Tour event when I was 16 years old. I know that's what, 33 years ago, but I've been involved with the PGA Tour ever since then.

‘Different opportunity to make an impact’

A little kid from Cypress California growing up on a par-3 course got a chance to play against the best players in the world and make it to world No 1. I got a chance to be involved in a lot of different things on our tour. This is a different opportunity to make an impact on the Tour. I did it with my golf clubs, I made a few putts here and there and was able to do that.

“Now I am able to make an impact in a different way for other generations to come. Not just generations that I played against, but for future generations like a 16-year-old looking for a place to play and maybe in hopes of playing on the PGA Tour.”