Report: Tiger Woods books Players, Memorial accommodations
Tiger Woods doesn’t know when he’ll be ready to play again. After all, last week he played his first five holes since having a pair of back surgeries last fall, so it seems like it might be a while before he’s ready to play up to 72 holes. However, Woods continues to plan and prepare for the moment his back tells him it’s OK to give it a go.
Reuters reported Saturday that Woods has secured accommodations for both The Players Championship and the Memorial Tournament.
The Players, the PGA Tour’s crown jewel, is in two weeks and has been reported as a potential place where the 14-time major winner could start his comeback. However, while The Players is a modest in-state trip from Woods’ home in Jupiter, Fla., the host course, TPC Sawgrass, isn’t Woods’ favorite. Though he’s won there twice as a pro, including in 2013, the Stadium Course is Woods’ worst course of the ones he sees most every year on his schedule.
Then there’s the Memorial Tournament, which will be played this year June 2-5. It’s Jack Nicklaus’ tournament, played at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Woods loves the event. He’s won it five times and has never missed a cut there. If Woods intends to play in the U.S. Open two weeks after Jack’s event, Memorial makes a lot of sense.
Of course, assuming Woods is playing in the U.S. Open is a bit of a leap, too. While Woods registered for the Open on April 4, the Monday of Masters week, that’s merely a clerical step to guarantee he has a spot in the field in June.
Wherever Woods chooses to return — at any, all or none of these events — it’ll be his first start since finishing T-10 at the Wyndham Championship last August.
Woods continues to maintain he has no specific timeline for his return. While that may be the case, Woods seems to have all taken all the steps short of competing to prepare for the start of his PGA Tour career in his 40s.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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