NEW YORK – Tiger Woods has been dealing with health issues for quite some time now.
While that’s hardly breaking news, Notah Begay III likely raised a few eyebrows when discussing the health of the 15-time Major champion during a conference call on April 3, per USA Today.
“He’s trying to formulate a strategy and approach that he can work within given the constraints that he’s presented with. And he’s got some constraints,” said Begay, a long-time friend and commentator for NBC Sports.
“He’s got zero mobility in that left ankle and really has low-back challenges now, which he knew he was going to have.”
Woods withdrew from his own tournament, the Genesis Invitational in February, due to what he said was the flu – although many questioned if it was a back issue. The 48-year-old has been nursing several injuries – including a severe injury to his right leg – since he was involved in a car accident in February 2021.
“For the past couple months, he’s been trying to find a way to recover,” Begay said.
“He can play the golf. We always knew the question was going to be, ‘Can he walk the 72 (holes)?’ That’s still up in the air. But can he recover, from one round to the next?
“That’s the biggest question that I really don’t know and he’s not going to know either until he gets out there and figures out whether the way he’s prepared for this year’s Masters is going to work for him.”
Multiple media outlets reported that Woods played a round of golf last weekend at Augusta National Golf Club in preparation for the US Masters, which begins on April 11.
Woods, who has officially entered to go after his sixth Masters title, played the March 30 round with his good friend Justin Thomas and ANGC chairman Fred Ridley in Augusta, Georgia.
Since his last Masters victory in 2019, Woods finished tied for 38th in the 2020 event, did not participate in 2021, finished 47th in 2022 and withdrew in 2023 because of plantar fasciitis after making the 36-hole cut.
Meanwhile, Akshay Bhatia birdied five of the last seven holes to fire a nine-under 63 and grab a three-stroke lead after the opening round of the PGA Texas Open on April 4.
The 22-year-old American fired a bogey-free round at TPC San Antonio to match his lowest career PGA round and notch his lowest total in the first 18 holes at any tour event.
“Just played really solid,” Bhatia said. “This is my third time here. Not many golf courses on the tour have been my third time, so I think (I was) understanding the golf course a lot more. It was just a good day.”
Justin Lower and Brendon Todd shared second on 66 with fellow Americans Max Homa, Denny McCarthy, Austin Eckroat and Tyson Alexander sharing fourth on 68.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, in his final tune-up for the Masters, opened on 69.
Bhatia, with five top-17 finishes and four missed cuts in nine starts this season, captured his first PGA title last July at the Barracuda Championship, beating Patrick Rodgers in a play-off. He comes off a season-best finish of 11th at Houston last week.
He said: “The last couple weeks is when I started working with Ryan, my psychologist, and that’s where it has really paid off, just changing the way I look into the days and my goals for the day.”
McIlroy, who can complete a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory, saw some optimistic signs in his game after a bogey-free round.
“I thought I played pretty well, hit some nice shots, played pretty consistently,” McIlroy said. “It’s the first round I’ve had without a bogey in quite a while.
“My game over the last couple months has been quite volatile, so to go out there and play a solid round of golf in pretty tricky conditions, pretty happy with it.” REUTERS, AFP
