Tiger Woods was in good spirits despite his clear discomfort in joking of all the 206 bones of the human body he knows which ones hurt and this after the latest injury to befall the 15-time major champion.
Woods was limping appreciably in entering and leaving the media centre at his week’s Hero World Challenge, and a day after news he has withdrawn from the 20-player as he deals with a plantar fasciitis under his right foot.
While plantar fasciitis is rarely a symptom of a serious health condition, it can escalate to the point where normal activity, especially exercise, can be extremely painful. Although mild pain in the heel area can commonly disappear on its own, severe pain can become persistent and chronic if ignored.
The injury, said Woods, is a legacy in dealing with the injuries he sustained in a near fatal car crash in February 2019 and while the 15-time major champion has been playing social games but using a motorised cart which, under PGA Tour regulations is not permissable this week on the Albany course in the Bahamas.
“Well, it was a tough decision just because I want to play,” said Woods.
“I like playing, I like competing, but unfortunately, I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want, I just can’t walk. And so I’ve had a few setbacks during the year that I still was able to somehow play through, but this one I just can’t. I just — only time can heal this one and stay off my feet and get a lot of treatment done.”
Woods has played just three tournaments this year – finishing mid-field in the PGA Championship, withdrawing from the US Open and missing the cut in the highly-emotional scenes on Friday of the 151st Open.
The injury, said Woods, is a legacy in dealing with the injuries he sustained in a near fatal car crash in February 2019 and while Woods has been playing social games and also caddying for 13-year-old son, Charlie the use of a motorised cart which, under PGA Tour regulations is not permissible this week on the Albany course in the Bahamas.
“Well, it was a tough decision just because I want to play,” said Woods.
“I like playing, I like competing, but unfortunately, I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want, I just can’t walk. And so I’ve had a few setbacks during the year that I still was able to somehow play through, but this one I just can’t. I just — only time can heal this one and stay off my feet and get a lot of treatment done.
“Well, as I was ramping up and had to walk more, the worse it got. So when you get plantar fasciitis, that’s the — the worst thing you can do is walk, and I was walking more and more and more, trying to get my legs ready for this event, and I just kept making it worse.
“So had to shut it down and unfortunately, be the host of the event and Ranger Rick out here. So I can do that.”
Woods has played just three tournaments this year – finishing mid-field in the PGA Championship, withdrawing from the US Open and missing the cut in the highly-emotional scenes on Friday of the 151st Open.
And Woods addressed a revelation by Rory McIlroy last week that McIlroy had passed the Covid-19 bug to Woods at the JP McManus Pro-Am in Ireland and in week prior to the Open Championship at St. Andrews
“Yeah, I got tested. I was always negative,” said Woods.
“I was I feeling under the weather, yes, wasn’t feeling great the whole week, but I never got a positive test.”
