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Tiger Woods

BAHAMAS. – Just a few months ago, Tiger Woods wasn’t sure if he’d ever play competitive golf again, but after a promising return to action he is already plotting an assault on the majors in 2018.

Woods’ pain-free comeback at the Hero World Challenge prompted the sport’s biggest name to claim he is “excited” about the future. Making his long-awaited return from a fourth back surgery – it was his first tournament for 301 days since pulling out the Dubai Desert Classic in February – Woods posted three sub-70 rounds at the Albany Club in the Bahamas to finish in a tie for ninth place in the 18-man field on Sunday.

He may have finished 10 shots behind winner Rickie Fowler but Woods’ eight-under-par total was good enough to beat world No.1 Dustin Johnson, FedEx Cup winner and world No. 3 Justin Thomas and US Open champion Brooks Koepka.

The performance lifted Woods from 1,199th to 668th in the world golf rankings, but more crucially, the 41-year-old was swinging freely with no sign of the back pain that has hampered him in recent years.

“I’m excited,” said Woods, who’s had eight long-term injury layoffs for various ailments since winning the last of his 14 majors at the 2008 US Open. – CNN.