A resigned Tiger Woods holds most depressing press conference of his career

Tiger Woods, during an illustrious 19-year career, has earned his share of diehard followers as well as those who, for whatever twisted or other reasons, harbor nothing but ill will toward the aging superstar. Those in the latter category were no doubt cheered by what they heard from the former world No. 1 on Tuesday while the words Woods spoke about his future on and off the course left many in the golf world stunned and saddened.

Because it sure sounded, in his first press conference since he underwent a third back operation, like the birdie-3 he carded on his final hole of the Wyndham Championship in August may have been the last score he ever posts on the PGA Tour.

“There’s really nothing I can look forward to, nothing I can build towards,” a dispirited Woods told reporters ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge. “It’s literally just day by day and week by week and time by time. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don’t know.”

Woods, who announced on his website a month ago that he had no schedule for a return to competition, reiterated his uncertainty on Tuesday. Only this time, as Tiger dejectedly said he had no idea if he would be playing golf by this time next year, a potential comeback seemed as out of reach as achieving his lifelong goal of breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles.

“I’ve been asked this quite a bit lately and the answer is, I don’t know, only because I really don’t, I really don’t,” said Woods, who observed that he could not rely on the nine-month prognosis he dealt with after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his blown-out ACL. “There is no timetable for this and that’s been the hardest mindset adjustment is that I don’t know. So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don’t know … I listen to my surgeon, I listen to my physios, and we just take it day by day. Hopefully the day-by-day adds up to something positive here soon.”

For now at least, Tiger the wide-eyed optimist who expected to win every tournament he started and enthused about regaining his championship form even during the last 18 months or so of recovery is no more. In the place of the normally confident competitor on Tuesday was an injured athlete in decline ruminating gloomily about the potential end of his remarkable career.

“I think pretty much everything beyond this [14 major champions and 79 PGA Tour wins] will be gravy,” Woods said. “If that’s all it entails then I’ve had a pretty good run.”

Indeed, with his 40th birthday just four weeks away and with walking and video games his only physical activities these days, Woods seemed on the precipice of his post-playing career.

He talked about working for his foundation, the beneficiary of this week’s 18-player event, and burnishing his golf course design portfolio. Rory McIlroy, like many who grew up in awe of Woods, could only offer words of encouragement from afar.

Wishing my idol and friend a speedy recovery. Golf without him doesn’t bear thinking about. Hope to see you back on the course soon.

McIlroy’s boyhood hero can use all the support he can muster because, contrary to what Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III mentioned last month, Woods has yet to begin rehab or practice and last hit a golf ball some two months ago (“a chip shot left-handed”). He lamented that his battered body had relegated him to “cheerleader” status even when it came to tossing balls and playing soccer with his two children.

His ability to “be a part of my kids’ life in the way that I want to be part of it, physically,” he said, would serve as a bellwether for any future he might have on tour.

“I would like to be able to get to that first,” he said. “If I can get to that, then we can start talking about golf.”

Though the prognosis appears dim, Woods has bounced back many times in the past.

“I’ve been in that situation before,” the Big Cat said ahead of the 2014 Deutsche Bank Championship about experts prematurely pronouncing his nine lives over.

Woods recalled that, after winning nine times on tour in 2000 and getting off to a relatively slow start the next year, he fielded questions about his “slump.” He went all of five tournaments into 2001, with two T13 finishes his worst results, before going back-to-back-to-back at Bay Hill, The Players Championship, and Augusta.

With his Masters triumph, Woods completed the Tiger Slam, becoming the only golfer in history to hold all four professional major titles at once.

Some slump.

This time, though, there really may be no light at the end of the tunnel, especially with Woods for the first time in his career essentially giving up on his quest to surpass Nicklaus’ mark. To borrow an analogy from the world of his broken-down pal Peyton Manning, Woods even moved in the goal posts.

“I’ve passed Jack [on the] all-time win list, just shy of Sam [Snead]. I passed Sam basically a decade ago in major championships but I’m still shy of Jack’s,” Woods acknowledged. “For my 20 years out here I think I’ve achieved a lot … I’m hoping that I can get back out here and compete against these guys … But if that’s not the case anymore, then I’ll find other avenues.”

In musing about another elite athlete who announced his retirement recently, Woods may have been thinking about himself.

“You only have so many jumps in the body,” Woods said about NBA star Kobe Bryant who has said this season will be his last. “It takes a toll.”

SB Nation video archives: Urban golfing with a U.S. Open champ (2012)