Bestler | Swan song on Tiger Woods’ storied career

I didn’t see Tiger Woods’ Tuesday news conference, but by all accounts it was sobering for longtime fans.

Appearing before the start of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods spoke about the three back surgeries he’s had and said there was no longer a timetable for his return to golf.

Woods, who will turn 40 Dec. 30, had a microdiscectomy in March 2014. In September he had a second microdiscectomy to remove a disc fragment that was pinching a nerve and in October he had a third surgery to relieve discomfort.

“I listen to my surgeon, my physios, and we just take it day be day,” he said.

“For nerves, there are no timetables and therein lies the tricky part because you can come back earlier or you can come back later. It just depends on how the nerve heals and how it settles.”

His explanations hit home with me because of my own experience with back surgery in February and its impact on the hundreds of nerves connected to the spine.

It can truly put you down and there really is no timetable for recovery. I was told I would play golf in about a year, but I wasn’t so sure. Turns out I healed fast and am back on the course, playing as if nothing happened.

Of course my game and Woods’ game are a few planets apart and the precision that made him one of the best ever may never return. For the past two months, he’s taken walks and played video games. That’s about all and that hardly puts him back on the path to winning golf.

Amazingly, Woods, the ultra competitor, seemed at peace with the possibility that his playing days may be over.

“I’ve had a pretty good career for my 20s and 30s,” he said. “I’ve achieved a lot and if that’s all it entails, then I’ve had a pretty good run.”

Woods said he hoped he could compete again, but if he can’t “then I’ll find other avenues...growing (the Tiger Woods Foundation), golf course design or other projects I have going on right now.”

It sounded a lot like the swan song on a storied career. During the past two decades, Woods won 14 majors, second only to Jack Nicklaus’s 18, and 79 tournaments, second only to Sam Snead’s 81. He was No. 1 in the world for 623 weeks, but currently is No. 400 in world rankings.

I’ve followed Woods since he was an amateur and at one point could not imagine professional golf without Tiger Woods.

Today, I know that if this is the end for Tiger, I’ll be among those who will miss him, but life goes on.

There are several good, young golfers ready to take his place - Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson.

They’ve already made the game exciting - even without Tiger Woods.

This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Bestler | Swan song on Tiger Woods’ storied career."