Tiger Woods knows playing with plantar fasciitis in his right leg probably isn’t the best option for his long-term recovery, but the 15-time major champion said it’s a sacrifice he’ll make to compete with his son. PNC Championship weekend in Orlando, Florida.
Woods and his son, Charlie, both teed off in the pro-am Friday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Tiger said his 13-year-old son has a sprained ankle but will be ready to go when he takes on Justin Thomas and his father, Mike, in Saturday’s first round at 12:17 pm ET.
In the year Tiger Woods, who is still recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident outside Los Angeles in February 2021, will be able to use a cart in the 36-hole event.
“You know, I don’t care about that,” Woods said of the possibility of delaying his recovery. “I think it’s very important to be with my son, and [getting] “Having the opportunity to have this experience with him is so much better than my feet getting a little bit shaky.”
It will be the third appearance in the event for Tiger and Charlie Woods; In the year They finished seventh in 2020 and last year were 2 strokes behind John Daly and Son.
“Whenever I get a chance to spend time with my son, it’s always special,” Tiger said. “And to work in a competitive arena, the last two years have been magical, and to work again, we’re looking forward to it.”
Tiger said he is not ready to commit to the 2023 schedule due to plantar fasciitis. He played in nine rounds in three major championships last season. He says sleeping in a protective boot is very annoying.
“I’m doing everything,” said Tiger. “It’s frustrating because I have to do it each and every day, and on top of that, it’s trying to sleep in the damn boot, it’s no fun. My left foot sometimes kicks the boot. It’s just annoying. One of those things is, hey, I’m grateful to have this body and It’s mine. This is not a fake body, it’s mine.
Woods said his close friends on the PGA Tour are asking him to slow down. He was forced to pull out of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas earlier this month due to plantar fasciitis. He played 12 holes against world No. 1 Rory McIlroy in last week’s TV matchup with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Woods was able to use a cart in that event as well.
“It was a lot harder than people think,” Tiger says. “Some players who are very close to me know what I’ve been through, and they encourage me to go back a little bit. But it’s not in my nature, it’s my nature. I’m trying to get better, and I have. And with work ethic, I was able to play and compete in three major championships this year.”
Woods said he will shut it down on Monday and rest and heal. He will try to raise his game again, perhaps before the first major championship of 2023 at the Augusta National Masters in April.
“If I didn’t have such a vegetative sense, yes, I could tell you. [how much I’m going to play in 2023] And I’ll have a better idea,” Woods said. “But I’m going to lay this thing down and let it heal, but I’m not going to do that right now.”
