Tiger Woods plays golf in front of actual people, remains mum on comeback plans

Tiger Woods, who has registered to compete in the U.S. Open in June, played his first actual golf holes since August on Monday, in front of actual spectators.

The occasion was the grand opening of the back nine of the Woods-designed Bluejack National in Montgomery, Texas, where Tiger played a friendly five holes with old friend Mark O’Meara as club members and reporters looked on.

With rumors swirling about Woods picking up the pace of practice and play amid mounting speculation he would return to the PGA Tour as soon as next week, the rehabbing 14-time major champion appeared to pump the breaks on any imminent comeback to the competition. He also laid to rest reports that he had played four or five holes previously on his home course.

“I’m definitely a little tired but I feel pretty good,” Woods told ESPN.com after his mini-round. “I haven’t been out here playing like this. I hadn’t played any holes until today. I know people have said I’ve played holes back at Medalist, but I haven’t. This is actually the first time I’ve played holes since Wyndham. It’s been awhile.”

Woods, whose last competitive round was eight months ago at the Wyndham Championship, sounded like a man not quite ready for prime time -- or the Wells Fargo Championship.

“I’m just progressing,” said Woods, who no doubt wants to get some real rounds in before the June 16-19 U.S. Open. “You saw how I was going at it today, nice and smooth. That’s harder than I have been going at it the last month. Just gradually progressing. We’re just trying to progress and I’m doing that.”

Got that? Progress.

Woods, after coming in 10th at the Wyndham following the worst season of his career, went on another in a series of injury-related hiatuses following his third back surgery since March 2014. Hosting but not playing at his Hero World Challenge in December, the former world No. 1 offered a grim vision of his future that had the punditry wondering if he would ever return to the game.

“I would not have said I would be here like this five months ago,” Woods said on Monday. “I wouldn’t have thought I’d be able to do what I did here now. Or play with my kids again, things of that nature. It’s been a long road. To actually be able to play soccer with my kids again, to do something like this, to be able to live life ... that’s what’s been nice.”

Woods has until 5 p.m. ET on Friday to commit to next week’s tilt at Quail Hollow, but conventional wisdom now has it that The Players Championship two weeks hence may serve as a more likely coming-out party.

Even The Players may be pushing things, as Woods reiterated what he and his team have been saying for months -- that he has no timetable for the beginning of his comeback tour. Registering for the U.S. Open was “simply procedural,” Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg told ESPN.com.

“I haven’t set any date to when I’m playing again, which is frustrating to say. But to be honest with you, that’s what I’ve had to do. I’ve had to go with that mindset,” said Woods, who conceded he was not yet strong or fast enough or hitting driver far enough to compete. “Would I have said that five months ago? No way. I couldn’t imagine then feeling like I do right now.”

Though Woods’ demeanor back in December was as as bleak as any he has shown in public, he is clearly moving toward appearing sooner rather than later at his next tour event. After posting his “progressing nicely” home video in February, he wowed spectators at last week’s junior golf clinic at Sage Valley Golf Club with his repertoire of shots -- each time swinging the club more freely and with more power.

The golf world has learned to expect the unexpected whenever Woods is concerned, so Quail Hollow remains a possible, if unlikely, landing area. It is far more probable that Tiger will relaunch his career at The Players and/or the Memorial (June 2-5) on his way to a tee time at Oakmont.