“I hear you’re looking for a caddie. I’m Tiger Woods.†With these words, the best golfer in the world returned to the scene of his last competitive outing – Torrey Pines in San Diego.
True to his words, Woods, who won the US Open at the course in June before taking the rest of the year off for surgery, carried the bag for 59-year-old John Abel.
New Jersey native Abel, who described it as a “once in a lifetime experienceâ€, earned his round with Tiger after winning the “Tee It Up with Tiger†Buick sweepstakes contest.
Going through the course and riding on a customised cart to ensure his patched up knee wasn’t at risk, Woods handed Abel clubs, helped him line up putts and reminisced about his epic June play-off victory over Rocco Mediate.
Woods, who remembered the 19th hole putt that won him his 14th major title, accompanied Abel for the nine holes of the South Course that he played and revelled in his new role, as he was quoted as saying in the media:
“You know, that was pretty cool. It was a little bit different atmosphere, because you could actually see the green without all of the grandstands. I remember that putt.â€
Since undergoing surgery to repair a ligament in his knee, Woods has yet to swing a club in anger. He is still going through the recovery process and wouldn’t put a date on his return to the circuit. He said:
“I’m able to chip and putt now, but the fuller rotational things will come next year. I don’t know how I’ll be ramping up and what my surgeons will allow. I can walk and do all of this stuff. That’s easy. It’s the rotational stuff that’s going to be different.â€
