Tiger Woods on practice range with PGA Tour players for first time since surgery
Golf world reacts as Tiger Woods hits chip shots and juggles balls on range with PGA Tour pros Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris.
Tiger Woods was seen chipping golf balls on the practice range alongside fellow PGA Tour pros Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris at Liberty National on Tuesday morning.
Woods, 47, was hosting his annual two-day NEXUS Cup, which is an exclusive amateur tournament.
It marks the first time Woods has been spotted chipping golf balls since his ankle surgery after The Masters earlier this April.
The below video footage was shot on Instagram by @EastsideGolf and then footage was shared via the popular @NUCLRGolf and @TWLegion accounts on Twitter.
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#WATCH Tiger Woods was on the range at @LibNatGolf this morning with Rickie Fowler & Will Zalatoris. #NexusCup (Via: @EastsideGolf) @TWlegion | @ZalatorisLegion | @RickieLegion pic.twitter.com/Mk4PvYDau7
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) September 12, 2023
Tiger juggling golf balls on the range will never get old. (via @EastsideGolf) pic.twitter.com/LI0mSxGSRY
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) September 12, 2023
Didn’t see TW hit any full swings - there was a live stream on EastSideGolf’s IG but it just ended. Tiger was hitting some chips on the range - Rickie Fowler and Will Zalatoris were hitting shots as well. Obviously some sort of return to golf in progress though. pic.twitter.com/eF8hVzvXru
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) September 12, 2023
Woods was seen chipping and juggling golf balls while chatting away with both Fowler and Zalatoris, the latter whom has been out of action even longer than the 15-time major champion.
Zalatoris last played in a tournament at the WGC Match Play in March, but after suffering two herniated discs the season before the American decided to take the remainder of this year off to have back surgery.
With both Woods and Zalatoris hitting balls again, it would seem like a return to the PGA Tour is close for both players, but especially Zalatoris who is hitting full shots once again.
HAPPENING NOW: Tiger Woods is on the range at Liberty National. Monitoring for further updates (via @EastsideGolf) pic.twitter.com/bNNid9G6jO
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) September 12, 2023
JUST IN: Tiger Woods golf bag has arrived on the range at Liberty National Golf Club ahead of The Nexus Cup benefiting his foundation. It’s the first sign that Woods will hit balls. (via @EastsideGolf) pic.twitter.com/vy333VKgfz
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) September 12, 2023
Fowler, meanwhile, has just returned from a practice session at Marco Simone ahead of the Ryder Cup.
He will be competing in his fifth Ryder Cup having received one of Zach Johnson's six wildcards in the team.
Johnson recently confirmed Woods will not be attending the Ryder Cup in person, although he has been in close contact with him over text.
Woods was spotted at PGA National last week when he was supporting his son Charlie Woods at a junior golf tournament.
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