Comeback in the Caribbean: Tiger Woods in feel-good mode
The Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas is a comfort zone for Tiger Woods. From this Thursday, the dreamlike golf course on the Caribbean island will once again be the venue for the umpteenth comeback of golf's most important player.
Here on the beautiful fairways and greens, the Californian, now almost 48 years old, is under no pressure to perform after his long break. The conditions for the 15-time major winner's desired feel-good mode are ideal: it is his own invitational tournament, good friends and selected players from the PGA Tour are at his side and a relaxed atmosphere in the vacation paradise is guaranteed.
Déjà vu in the Bahamas
Back in 2016 and 2017, Woods chose his own event near Nassau as a gentle re-entry into the tough professional game after his numerous injuries. For the man who was the number one golfer in the world for 683 weeks, this is his first tournament since retiring from the Masters in Augusta in April due to injury. A few days later, he underwent surgery on his right foot in New York.
According to him, the pain has disappeared and his right ankle is stable again. All after-effects of the terrible car accident in February 2021, when Woods lost control of his SUV south of Los Angeles, rolled over several times and was hospitalized with numerous fractures in his right leg. An impending amputation was only just averted. Just ten months later, after a long and tough rehabilitation, he and his son Charlie competed in the family tournament on the PGA Tour in Orlando.
Woods and Charlie, now aged 14, will be competing in this event again this year shortly before Christmas - the PNC Championship in Florida is a matter close to Woods' heart. It is the only tournament that the five-time Masters champion has not missed in the past four injury-plagued years. "It's an incredible gift to be able to share my love of golf with Charlie," said Woods. "To compete together against so many golfing greats and their families is very special." First up for the current world number 1328, however, is the tournament in the Bahamas.
Woods' virtual golf league is delayed
Before the trip to the Caribbean, however, Woods suffered a major setback: The launch of the virtual golf league he co-founded with Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy was postponed by a whole year, until early 2025. A massive power outage led to the collapse of the domed roof at the SoFi Center in Florida, where the league matches with prominent PGA professionals were to be held. "The postponement brings mixed feelings of disappointment and joy," said McIlroy. "We're mostly happy that no one was injured."
In the Bahamas, Woods will concentrate on his sporting return. The charismatic superstar with the moving life story continues to captivate golf fans around the world. It is the mixture of sporting triumphs, personal dramas, bitter times of suffering and fairytale comebacks that make up the hype surrounding the 82-time winner on the US Tour. A new chapter is now being added in the Bahamas.
Tiger Woods has chosen the Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas for his return to competitive golf, a venue that brings him comfort and a relaxed atmosphere. This will be his first tournament since retiring from the Masters due to injury.
This year, Tiger Woods and his son Charlie will participate in the PNC Championship in Florida, a tournament they've not missed in the past four injury-plagued years, and which holds a special place in Woods' heart.
Source: www.dpa.com
