4:41 PM
Tiger Woods said in his first extensive interview since his car crash that he never expects to compete at the highest level again, but that he hopes to return to competitive golf.
"I think it's realistic to play the Tour one day, never full-time ever again, but pick and choose, just like Mr. Hogan did," Woods said. Pick a few events a year and you can play around with them.
You practice around that and gear yourself up for that. I think I have to play it that way. It's unfortunate, but it's my reality. I accept it, and I understand it.
He used to focus on his leg in the hospital, but that thought process has changed.
He said it was close if he was going to walk out of the hospital with one leg. I wanted to see if I still had my hands after I kept it. In the hospital, I would have my friends throw me something. Throw me anything.
Hogan played a limited schedule in the early 1950s after returning from injuries he sustained in a car accident.
The injuries to Woods' right leg and foot were caused by the high rate of speed he was driving in the Feb. 23 accident in Southern California. He only recently posted a video of him hitting a shot from a driving range. The video was captioned "making progress."
He said that he doesn't have to compete against the best players in the world to have a great life. I had to climb Mount Everest again after my back fusion. I had to do it. I don't think I'll be able to climb Mount Everest this time around, but that's okay. I can still play golf. I can still click off a tournament if my leg gets better.
I don't think it's realistic for me to expect to get to the top of the mountain again.
The Hero World Challenge is a tournament Woods hosts for his foundation. A news conference is scheduled for Tuesday.
