Woods sets no timetable for return, but is optimistic

Tiger Woods continues to make progress with his injured left leg, but has set no timetable for his return to competitive golf.

Woods, who has been sidelined by a sprained knee and strained Achilles tendon since May 12 when he withdrew from THE PLAYERS Championship after nine holes, will not rush his rehabilitation to compete in the upcoming Open Championship, July 14-17, at Royal St. George's Golf Club in England.

"I'm just playing it by ear for now," Woods said Tuesday from Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia, where he is on hand to support the AT&T National, a tournament in which part of the proceeds benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation.

The 35-year-old Woods, who has undergone four surgeries on his left knee, originally hurt his leg while hitting a recovery shot out of pine straw on the 17th hole during the third round of the Masters Tournament in April. He chose to play in THE PLAYERS Championship because of the importance of the event, but reinjured his leg.

"In retrospect, I probably came back too soon," he said. "I pushed it too hard and hurt myself again. I'm not going to do that again."

While Woods has always put a premium on winning majors, he's not going to risk further injury by pushing himself to play in The Open Championship.

"It's tough," said Woods. "I gotta learn from what I did at THE PLAYERS and do it right. I wouldn't go over there just to show up. I'd go over there to win the golf tournament."

Sporting a beard, Woods is no longer using crutches or a walking boot and said he works out in a gym one to three times daily, sometimes for an hour, sometimes 20 minutes.

"They're intense," said Woods of the workouts. "The good news and the bad news is that I've done this before. I know where the line is and when to back off."

Woods has not hit a ball since THE PLAYERS Championship, but has putted. Saying he is wise from dealing with previous injuries, Woods and swing coach Sean Foley have formulated a game plan when he is healthy enough to return. The key is improving strength and explosiveness in his leg.

"I know the progression," Woods said. "I'll start with putting, chipping, pitching and wedges. It's going to depend how it feels on a daily basis."

If all goes well, Woods will slowly work his way through the bag, sometimes progressing by one club, depending how his body reacts and heals.

"I've been through this four times," he said. "I know the drill."

Woods said his swing was starting to click after a fourth-place finish at the Masters.

"I was close to putting it all together, bur I didn't have the reps," said Woods. "The only thing I've been able to do is work on it mentally."

No matter when he returns, Woods remains convinced his best golf is head of him. His 14 major titles are second only to Jack Nicklaus' 18.

"He won when he was 46," Woods said. "I've still got time. I feel pretty confident about what my future holds."

Once again, the AT&T National is honoring the military this week. Woods visited wounded soldiers with CBS golf announcer David Feherty. He also wrote a message to military personnel stationed around the world on a special wall at the entrance to Aronimink.