JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Tiger Woods is closer to competing again.
Woods is back home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and is trying to get back into a routine that includes fitness and his first significant practice in 15 weeks, a person with knowledge of his schedule said Tuesday.
Woods returned to his home near Orlando on Saturday and has been hitting balls on the range at Isleworth, not far from where he ran his SUV into a fire hydrant and a tree in a middle-of-the-night accident on Nov. 27 that set off shocking revelations of infidelity.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because only Woods is authorized to release such information, said golf’s No. 1 player still has not decided when he will return to competition.
Woods was photographed hitting balls at Isleworth on Feb. 18, the day before he ended nearly three months of silence by speaking to a small group of associates at the TPC Sawgrass in a 13 1/2-minute statement that was televised around the world. Those photos of Woods were arranged to counter the paparazzi trying to follow his every move since Thanksgiving.
Woods has not practiced in earnest since winning the Australian Masters in Melbourne on Nov. 15 for his 82nd victory worldwide.
“I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be,” Woods said in his statement at Sawgrass. “I don’t rule out that it will be this year.”
Woods said he had attended inpatient therapy “for the issues I’m facing” for 45 days, from the end of December to early February. He said he was leaving the next day for more therapy, without saying what kind. The person who spoke to The Associated Press said he went to Arizona for a week of family and marriage counseling with his wife, Elin.
Woods said at Sawgrass of his infidelity, “As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss; however, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.”
News of him getting back into a routine is sure to begin speculation when he might return to the PGA Tour. Woods announced on Dec. 4 that he was taking an “indefinite break” to try to salvage his marriage.
To date, he has missed only two tournaments he typically would have played — Torrey Pines and the Match Play Championship — although he had been leaning toward playing Pebble Beach this year because it will host the U.S. Open in June.
Woods is not likely to play next week in the World Golf Championship at Doral, where he has won three times.
His next possibility on the PGA Tour is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he is the defending champion and a six-time winner. The Masters, which Woods has played every year since 1995, would follow. Augusta National officials have not indicated whether they expect Woods to compete.
“When he does come back, I hope it’s in the Masters, and I hope he’s in great form,” Masters champion Angel Cabrera said Tuesday on a conference call.
The fallout from Woods’ sex scandal has been immense. He already has had three sponsors drop him — Accenture, AT&T and, most recently, Gatorade — while other companies like Gillette have suspended promotions of Woods while he takes his break from golf.
When he does return, he will have a different logo on his golf bag, replacing AT&T, if he can find a deal.
Golf
Related Photos
-
Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the fifth hole during the second round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Sept. 25, 2009. Woods is back at home after a week of family counseling in Arizona and is trying to get back into a routine that includes golf and fitness, according to a person with knowledge of his schedule. Associated Press
AP Source: Woods back from family counseling
- Golf
-
-
Bradley should be a lock for Presidents Cup
Until winning the PGA Championship, the coolest thing in golf that happened to Keegan Bradley during his amazing rookie season was getting a phone call from Fred Couples in May after he won his first PGA Tour event.
-
Gindlesberger leads Southern in opener
Billy Gindlesberger shot a one-over par 37 at Oakland Golf Club Tuesday to lead Southern to a season-opening tri-match win over Northern and Bishop Walsh in high school golf.
-
Those who know Woods’ game: He’s down, not out
The kid standing behind 15-year-old Tiger Woods on the tee at Torrey Pines was two years older and already a hotshot himself on Southern California’s rough-and-tumble amateur golf circuit the first time he saw the look.
-
Fowler part of 4-way tie as Woods falters
Rickie Fowler had eight birdies and an eagle to give himself another shot at winning. Adam Scott did well enough to stay in the lead. PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley got in on the action late.
-
Tiger Woods off to strong start
Tiger Woods appeared to face a big test Thursday in his return to golf.
-
Tiger back at full strength
Tiger Woods was on the practice range just as the sun began to rise Tuesday over Firestone, his first time on a PGA Tour golf course in nearly three months.
-
Browne still on top at Senior Open
Olin Browne followed a record-tying 64 with a solid 69 on Friday, to take a one-shot lead over a talent-laden leaderboard in the rain-delayed second round of the U.S. Senior Open.
-
Simpson, de Jonge share lead at Greenbrier Classic
Brendon de Jonge rode a wave of Hokie fever to a share of the second-round lead at the Greenbrier Classic.
-
Mother Nature wins round one at Women’s Open
Instead of teeing it up when she comes back to the Broadmoor, Cristie Kerr’s next shot at the U.S. Women’s Open will be a blast out of the bunker on the front, right side of the seventh green.
A difficult shot. But it could be worse. -
Woods to miss British Open
Those “minor” injuries to his left leg now have kept Tiger Woods from playing in two majors.
- More Golf Headlines
-
