Tiger hopes to play full 2018 schedule

Dec 29, 2017 - 11:24 PM Tiger Woods says he hopes to play a full 2018 schedule but isn't yet committing even to competing in February's Genesis Open which is run by his foundation.

Writing a year-end blog on his website on the eve of his 42nd birthday on Friday, Woods was generally upbeat about the condition of his surgically-repaired back but what he did not say was perhaps just as significant.

"One way or another, I will be at Riviera," the 14-times major champion wrote of the annual PGA Tour event played on the famous course in southern California.

"It's such an historic site and the course will always have special meaning for me. That's where it all started back in 1992 when I played in my first PGA Tour event at age 16."

Woods made his latest comeback in December at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, eight months after undergoing a spinal fusion.

While his performance - he finished equal ninth of 18 players - was competent and he swung with apparent freedom, he acknowledged he was in uncharted waters.

"I'm continuing to progress and trying to get strong enough to where I can handle a workload again," he wrote.

"I would love to play a full schedule in 2018. What that entails, including back-to-back events, I don't know. I just have to continue to work on my body and game and see where I pan out.

"I wish I knew where I was going to play and when I was going to play - it's a lot easier to prep for that - but we really don't know."

Woods also acknowledged his swing had changed.

"My swing is definitely shorter and I can't turn as far. My back is fused and that's as far as it's going to go. But I was surprised at how explosive I was (at the World Challenge)... ," he said.

"I'm more than a full-club longer than when I shut it down."

Source: AAP