Tiger Woods is making progress in his recovery from a back surgery, but the world's No. 1 golfer remains doubtful for the US Open and Open Championship.
Mark Steinberg, Woods' agent, told ESPN on Wednesday that Woods is experiencing no setback or complications from the back surgery, saying that the 38-year-old superstar is already doing "light chipping and putting" over the last several days.
"He's doing a little bit more and more each day," Woods said. "He's getting to the point of light chipping and putting and the doctors and trainers seem to be pleased with where he is."
Steinberg added that doctors said that Woods is on schedule, but he admitted that there is still no timetable for his return, but he quickly added that a return this summer is the most likely option.
"I don't know when he intends to be playing competitively," Steinberg said of Woods. "But I expect it to be this summer. I know that's a wide range, but as the weeks go by we'll be able to pinpoint an approximate time. It's still a little early for that. Nothing that has gone on from the day of the surgery until today gives me any pause to amend what I said then."
Woods has only played in four tournaments this year. In his fourth tournament, the Honda Classic, Woods was forced to withdraw after 13 holes due to his ailing back.
Woods made a return at the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, but was still visibly bothered by nagging pain in his back. He managed to finish the tournament, but he only managed to shot 78 with no birdie.
The Cypress, California native has not played since March 9 due to the injury, which also forced him to miss the Masters for the first time in 20 years.
"The level of discomfort he was in prior to having this was incredibly high," Steinberg said of Woods' condition before the surgery. "That pain went away close to right after the surgery. The pain was mostly from the surgery itself. But the pain he was in and causing him to force the surgery is gone."
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