Is Tiger Woods' Limp Getting Worse? We Watched His Wednesday Practice Round
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Hunched over, Tiger Woods reached down, grabbed his right thigh and raised his foot a few inches off the ground. There it hung, an odd pose, all his weight removed from a leg reconstructed just 14 months ago.
And then, as if purposely done for the thousands of fans encircling him during Wednesday’s practice round, their focus on his every move, specifically that right leg of his, Woods wiggled his raised foot. Right and then left, and then back right and then left again.
The Tiger shimmy; the Tiger shake.
He then dropped his foot to the greenside turf at Augusta National’s 17th hole, straightened up tall and chipped a few balls up the damp slope, nearly holing a few.
“Welcome back, Tiger!” a fan yelled toward him.
Woods whipped his head around, smiled and nodded.
And off he went, marching toward the 18th hole, the final of his nine-hole practice round Wednesday here at The Masters. He showed no real signs that he wouldn’t play this event.
Sure, he had a slight limp, a “hitch in his giddy-up,” as one patron mused. And, yes, he flashed that wiggle. But the most noticeable issue: When walking down a steep slope, Woods moved with a noticeable hitch to take as much weight off the right leg. Some folks on the Internet got a little panicky on Wednesday:
It’s no real surprise. After a February 2021 car crash, Woods needed multiple surgeries to repair the mangled right leg. It’s quite a “miraculous thing” that he’s even here, Fred Couples, Woods’ practice round playing partner, said afterward.
Woods’ nine-hole practice round Wednesday followed nine holes Sunday, nine again Monday and a range session Tuesday morning. Yet still, he hasn’t completely committed to playing in this tournament.
So, will he? Wiggle and all, it sure seems like it.
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