'Sore' Tiger reveals glimpse of playing future

Golf icon Tiger Woods is "curious" to see how far he can push his "sore" body on next year's professional circuit.

Woods, 47, on Monday morning (AEDT) completed his first proper tournament since April, and played 72 holes for only the third time since his infamous February 2021 car crash that shattered his right leg.

He has started in six tournaments since then, but had to have his right ankle fused following this year's Masters.

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At the Hero World Challenge – which was won by Scottie Scheffler – Woods finished in 18th spot at even par.

The week wasn't a total loss for Woods, who now has a better idea of what he might be able to do next year.

“Just like I said to you guys on Tuesday, I’m curious … what this is going to look like,” Woods said.

“I haven’t done it in a while — I haven’t done it with my ankle the way it is now and I was excited each and every day to kind of get through it and kind of start piecing rounds together again.

"I haven’t done this in a long time so it was fun to feel that again.”

Woods closed with a 72 and ended up 18th at even par. Scheffler finished at 20-under 268.

Woods was never in the mix after each round, which was not the primary objective. He knew there would be rust, and he felt he knocked a little off each day.

But not all of it. He had a pitch roll back toward his feet on the par-3 second hole for a double bogey, and he hit another poor chip that led to bogey on the par-5 11th.

Woods remained optimistic he could play one tournament a month in 2024.

“If you ask me right now, I'm a little bit sore,” he said.

“Once a month seems reasonable. It gives me a couple of weeks to recover.

"Maybe I can get into a rhythm. That's what the plan was going into next year. I don't see why that would change.”

The Hero World Challenge is an unofficial event, though its 20-man field receives world ranking points and champion Scheffler only solidified his spot at No.1.

– with AP