On verge of 40, Tiger Woods says he feels career has been 140 years

In a week, Tiger Woods turns 40.

His Dec. 30 birthday cap to a tumultuous, mostly down year for the 14-time major winner, which will conclude with him still waiting to figure out when he can start full rehabilitation from a pair of fall back surgeries.

Woods didn’t post a single top-10 finish until the Wyndham Championship, his final start of the year. However, even that came with bad news, namely the pain that he originally attributed to his hip that ultimately led to a pair of back surgeries in his offseason, including a second microdiscectomy in an 18-month stretch.

Twice in 2015, Woods shot his worst-ever PGA Tour round, shooting 82 in the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February, then carding an astounding-but-not-as-bad-as-it-sounds 85 in the third round of the Memorial Tournament in June.

Then again, he turned back the clock at Augusta National, getting to the fringes of contention during Jordan Spieth’s Woods-record-tying performance before finishing T-17 at the Masters.

However, in a year-end reflection on his website, Woods did not despair in the way he sounded at a news conference ahead of his Hero World Challenge in November. Instead, he sounded hopeful for a full comeback in 2016 and a decade of more of high-level golf after that.

“Where do I see myself in the next five to 10 years?” Woods wrote. “I am still playing golf at the highest level and winning tournaments and major championships. My foundation has been implemented around the globe, and we’ve helped out not just millions, but when I’m all said on done with my life on this earth, it will hopefully be billions.”

The latter dreams of his foundation seem much more imminently achievable than competing at the highest level in his late 40s. Perhaps that’s because Woods still lacks a firm timetable for his return, which he has said is because his doctors are asking his to rest and do as little as possible to help his damaged nerves get back as much function as they can. Nonetheless, Woods is hopeful to return sometime in 2016.

“The thing I’m looking forward to the most about 2016 is getting back out there again,” he said. “I’ve missed it, and I would like to do it pain-free. I haven’t done that in what seems like a long time. I’ve had it in spurts the last few years and have done some pretty good things, but I’d like to have sustained health.”

It seems Woods’ failing health in recent years has engendered a rejuvenated interest in golf, albeit one that’s balanced out by being a father to his two children. Looking back, it’s hard to believe Woods has been out on the PGA Tour for 20 years.

“I live in dog years since I turned pro in 1996, so that’s 140 years,” he said. “It feels like 140 but also feels like five. It’s amazing how fast it has gone but also how slow.”

The question is what the third decade will bring.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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