'Big question mark' over Woods' fitness, says Garcia

Tiger Woods is back in action again this weekend, but Sergio Garcia questioned whether he can cope with playing week in week out.

Published : Jan 25, 2018 05:02 IST

Tiger Woods shakes hands with Sergio Garcia
Tiger Woods shakes hands with Sergio Garcia
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Tiger Woods shakes hands with Sergio Garcia

Sergio Garcia has questioned whether Tiger Woods has the physical capability to make a successful comeback from injury.

Woods underwent a fourth back surgery last year, but is set to tee up at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines this weekend having played the Hero World Challenge – an unofficial PGA Tour event – last month.

The 42-year-old has spoken of his desire to play a full schedule in 2018, but Masters champion Garcia – who has endured a frosty relationship with Woods at times – is unsure if the 14-time major champion can meet the demands of playing full time.

"It's going to be interesting to see," Garcia told a news conference ahead of the defence of his Dubai Desert Classic title on the European Tour. 

"I mean, I don't know, but in my opinion, it's a big question mark to see how he's going to be able to do physically. 

"I think that he looked pretty good at the Hero Challenge. But he has looked good at the Hero Challenge [in previous years] and then he hasn't lasted too long.

"So hopefully he's able to get in a bit of a rhythm when it comes down to playing tournaments. But nobody knows. 

"I think I can say that probably he doesn't even know how his back and his body is going to cope with everything that goes on with playing tournaments and practising and everything that comes with it. 

"So we'll see."

Garcia, though, would like to see Woods make a full return.

He added: "He's done so much for the game.  "If he's not there, will the game of golf fall apart? I don't think so. 

"But like I always say, the more sugar, the sweeter. So, the more big-time players we have on tour, the better it is for the game globally and he's obviously one of those."

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