NBC Sports and Golf Channel commentator David Feherty spent some time with Tiger Woods at his April opening of Bluejack National, Woods’ first U.S. course design near Houston. After seeing Woods take some swings as part of a five-hole exhibition, the Irishman-turned-American isn’t sure Woods is ever going to compete on the PGA Tour again.
“I am not sure that Tiger will come back because it is a nerve in his back,” Feherty told Irish Golf Desk. “It’s not muscular or skeletal. It’’s not something you can deal with in a physical way.
“He is in phenomenal shape – just ripped as usual. But he is not able to make a full pass at it. I saw him a few weeks ago in Houston and he hadn’t played in five months and he hit some good shots and some awful skanky looking things.”
Woods had a pair of back surgeries, including a second microdiscectomy, in September and October 2015. At Quicken Loans National media day two weeks ago, Woods said he has been struggling with completing a full day of practice and recovering well enough to do it again the next day. While there has been wild speculation about Woods’ potential return, Woods himself has no concrete date to offer.
The 14-time major winner has maintained he’s working hard toward a return. Feherty suspects it’s a make-or-break prospect.
“I think he has a feeling that if he doesn’t make it back this time, he might be done from a physical standpoint,” Feherty said. “But he is too stubborn and too good and too physically gifted to be able to just give it up. He loves it too much.”
The former Ryder Cup player believes Woods isn’t putting himself through the rehab process because he feels some sense of duty.
“I don’t think he needs to do this,” Feherty said. “He wants to do this. He really really does. But I am not sure that he can. I am not sure he is in any way clear on whether the can either.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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