Tiger Woods says he is feeling “a lot stronger” than he was at the Masters last month as the 15-time major champion ramps up his return to golf at the PGA Championship.
Woods was playing his first tournament for close to 17 months at Augusta National having suffered serious leg injuries in a car crash in February 2021.
He has now arrived at Southern Hill Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma – the site of his fourth and most recent PGA Championship victory in 2007 – for the second men’s major of the year.
“Am I ever going to have full mobility? No. Never again,” Woods said on Sunday.
“But I’ll be able to get stronger. It’s going to ache, but that’s the way it’s going to be.
“I’m excited about (this week). I’m not going to play that much going forward, so anytime I do play, it’s going to be fun to play and to compete. There are only so many money games you can play at home.”
After shooting an opening-round 71 at the Masters, Woods followed with a 74, 78 and 78 to finish the tournament in 47th place.
“I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” Woods told Golfweek.
“We went back to work on Tuesday (following the Masters). Monday was awful; I did nothing, and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it. Everything is better.”
Previously, Woods has said that he will play at the Open in St. Andrews, Scotland in July.
The PGA Championship begins on Thursday. Defending champion and long-time rival of Woods Phil Mickelson has withdrawn from the tournament amid an ongoing absence from golf, while Scottie Scheffler headlines the draw as the newly-crowned Masters champion and world No. 1.
And after finishing runner-up at the AT&T Byron Nelson on Sunday, three-time major winner Jordan Spieth has shown promising form as he bids to complete a career grand slam at the PGA Championship.