Tiger gets clearance to resume full golf activities

We thought this might be coming but probably not quite this soon – Tiger Woods has got the all clear from his doctor and, according to his agent Mark Steinberg, “he can do as much as he needs to do.”

In the past couple of weeks there have been more and more videos, and all of his (or his management team’s doing).

August 31: ‘Doctor gave me the OK to start pitching’ with Tiger, in a vest top, playing a 20-yard greenside shot from quite a tight lie.

October 7: ‘Smooth iron shots’ with Tiger hitting maybe a 6-iron at about half strength.

October 10: Hitting some balls alongside Kevin Chappell at an exhibition.

October 15: ‘Making Progress’ – with the driver and, despite the slightly tentative nature of the swing, proof that he was back to hitting full(ish) shots.

Making Progress pic.twitter.com/I3MZhJ74kI

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) October 15, 2017

In between there was the Presidents Cup, a new girlfriend in tow and now he is back swinging though the PGA Tour return might have to wait a while.

Steinberg has met with Woods’ doctor who performed the fusion surgery on April 19 and the signs were very encouraging.

“He got a nice report and is allowed to proceed,” Steinberg told ESPN. “He can do as much as he needs to do. Tiger is going to take this very, very slowly. This is good, but he plans to do it the right way.”

He added that there was no pain throughout the swings.

Last year Tiger returned at the Hero World Challenge on December 1, he next played at the end of January, missing the cut at Torrey Pines, before then withdrawing the following week after a first-round 77 in Dubai.

And that was it. Just over two months later he had more surgery and Steinberg, understandably, admitted that it would be a case of taking things gently.

“We have not even talked about it. We will see what each day brings, what each week brings.”

Woods’ last appearance in a major came at the PGA in 2015. Has last victory came at the Bridgestone in 2013, a season in which he won five times. How times have changed since then.