CAN TIGER WOOD WIN?

MIAMI: Tiger Woods said on Monday that he has suffered only a mild strain of his left Achilles tendon and that he is hopeful of playing in the US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational next week as planned.

Woods withdrew from the World Golf Championships event at Doral on Sunday after hitting his tee shot on the 12th hole, complaining of a tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same one he hurt at last year’s Masters tournament.

After a physician examined Woods on Monday, the former World No. 1 reported the progress on his Twitter microblogging website.

In pain: Tiger Woods grimaces after hitting off the 12th tee during the final round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament on Sunday. He withdrew from the tournament after that and was driven away in a cart. — AP

“Got good news from doc tonight. Only mild strain of left Achilles,” Woods posted on Twitter.
“Can resume hitting balls late in week and hopeful for next week.”

Woods had planned to play next week’s PGA event at Bay Hill as his final tuneup for the year’s first Major, the Masters, which tees off on April 5 at Augusta National Golf Club.

The latest injury scare for Woods has the golf world wondering if the 14-time Major champion will ever win again, much less challenge the all-time record of 18 Major titles won by Jack Nicklaus.

The former World No. 1 has not won an official event on any Tour since the Australian Masters on Nov 15, 2009, just before the revelations of a secret sex life that led to his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.
For the fourth time in five years, Woods faces a major setback to his season, having battled through a left knee injury in 2008 to win the US Open, knee and tendon pain last year and the aftermath to his sex scandal in 2010.

Woods has undergone four operations on his left knee, including reconstructive surgery after he limped through a playoff to win the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, his most recent Major triumph.
The biggest concern about the timing of the latest health scare for Woods is that he risks missing the Masters, the one major Woods has never missed since his 1995 debut as an amateur.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, the reigning US Open champion and a solid favourite at the Masters with or without Woods in the field, hopes to see Woods among the pine trees at Augusta.
“It’s probably just precautionary but I really hope he’s ready for the Masters,” McIlroy said on Sunday.
“It’s a shame because he looked like he was coming out this year swinging it really well, playing good, getting himself into contention.

“Tiger Woods has been the face of golf for the last 15 years. Feeling like he’s coming back to his best, or something near his best, it’s great for the game. He can spark an interest in the game that no one else can.” – AFP

SOURCE : Thestar