‘I can’t walk’: Tiger withdraws from tourney, wants LIV Golf leader Greg Norman replaced | CBC Sports

Tiger Woods painted an unsure image about how a lot golf he can play, saying Tuesday that “I don’t have much left in this leg.”

He additionally would not have a lot hope the PGA Tour and the Saudi-funded rival league can get alongside until Greg Norman is out as LIV Golf’s chief.

“Not right now. Not with their leadership. Not with Greg there and his animosity toward the tour itself,” Woods mentioned from Nassau, Bahamas. “I don’t see that happening.”

Rory McIlroy additionally mentioned in Dubai two weeks in the past that Norman must “exit stage left” earlier than there may be any significant discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

Woods artfully skirted round different questions on Tuesday, reminiscent of particulars on two sudden surgical procedures he had final yr and whether or not the 20-man area on the Hero World Challenge needs to be getting factors towards the world rating.

He was forceful on the impact of LIV Golf, referring to friction the rival league has precipitated and the way lawsuits stand in the best way of any reconciliation.

“If one side has so much animosity, someone trying to destroy our tour, then how do we work with that?” Woods mentioned.

Phil Mickelson was amongst 10 gamers who filed an antitrust lawsuit towards the PGA Tour in August, a lawsuit since taken over by LIV Golf. Bryson DeChambeau, Peter Uihlein and Matt Jones are the one gamers nonetheless concerned as plaintiffs. The PGA Tour since has filed a countersuit. A trial date is tentatively scheduled for January 2024.

Woods mentioned the lawsuits must be settled — he used the phrase “stay” on multiple event — or there isn’t a manner ahead.

Scoring properly whereas driving cart

Woods is at Albany Golf Club strictly because the match host. He needed to withdraw on Monday due to plantar fasciitis in his proper foot that makes it too tough to stroll over 72 holes, even on a comparatively flat course for a vacation occasion.

Woods mentioned he was posting low scores at residence in Florida whereas driving in a cart. And his subsequent two occasions — a made-for-TV match over 12 holes on Dec. 10, and the PNC Championship along with his son the next weekend — permit for carts.

“I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want,” he mentioned. “I just can’t walk.”

He mentioned the plantar fasciitis was associated to accidents he suffered within the Los Angeles automotive crash in February 2021, which ended any hope of him enjoying regularly.

A yr in the past, Woods was simply beginning to take full swings with the motive force and his ambition was to make it to St. Andrews for the a hundred and fiftieth version of the British Open. He wound up enjoying the Masters and the PGA Championship, too.

That amounted to 9 rounds — 4 at Augusta National, three on the PGA Championship (he withdrew after the third spherical) and two at St. Andrews.

Woods felt he was making progress within the months after the British Open, solely to harm his proper foot whereas attempting to organize for a 72-hole occasion within the Bahamas.

“When you get plantar fasciitis, the worst thing you can do is walk, and I was walking more and more and more, trying to get my legs ready for this event, and I just kept making it worse,” he mentioned. “So, had to shut it down.”

The objective is to play simply the key championships and perhaps one or two extra [tourneys]. That’s it. Physically, that is all I can do.— Tiger Woods on points along with his proper leg and foot

He mentioned he would take a month or two to relaxation, which will not have an effect on his golf schedule as a result of he wasn’t going to play that a lot, anyway.

This has been coming. Woods turns 47 on Dec. 30, and he has had roughly as many surgical procedures as majors he was received (15).

Hampered by leg at British Open

“The goal is to play just the major championships and maybe one or two more. That’s it. Physically, that’s all I can do. I told you that [at] the beginning of this year, too,” he mentioned.

“I mean, I don’t have much left in this leg, so gear up for the biggest ones and hopefully, lightning catches in a bottle and I’m up there in contention with a chance to win, and hopefully, I remember how to do that.”

He mentioned he did every thing to organize for St. Andrews, just for his leg to behave up on him and result in an early departure full of emotion. Woods doesn’t anticipate returning to a different Open at St. Andrews.

His well being wasn’t nice that week past his leg, although it wasn’t COVID-19.

McIlroy, in a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Independent in Ireland, mentioned he and Woods performed a apply spherical at Ballybunion on the Thursday earlier than the British Open and McIlroy was feeling unwell afterward.

He mentioned sweat was pouring off him and his temperature spiked. McIlroy referred to as Woods, who reported he was feeling effective. But then Woods texted him that evening and mentioned he had chills and a fever.

“And I’m like, ‘[Expletive], I’ve just given Tiger COVID!’ This is horrendous!”‘ McIlroy mentioned. “So, we both had COVID going into the Open.”

Woods mentioned he examined for the coronavirus and it got here again adverse.

“Was I feeling under the weather? Yes, wasn’t feeling great the whole week,” Woods mentioned. “But I never got a positive test.”