5 numbers to know as Woods makes his return to action
The last time Tiger Woods played in a PGA tournament, Great Britain was part of the European Union, Donald Trump was a reality television star, Nike was still making golf clubs, and Cleveland was still a tortured sports town.
So, yeah, things have changed slightly since August of 2015.
Woods makes his long-anticipated return to professional golf this week at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, and while most aren't expecting much out of the superstar, fans will be excited to have him back on the course.
Here are five numbers to think about as he tees off Thursday:
464
It was 464 days ago, on Aug. 23, 2015, when Woods finished his fourth round of the Wyndham Championship, marking the longest layoff of his professional golf career. Considering Woods was a child prodigy who had golf clubs in his crib as an infant, it might be the longest stretch in his life that he wasn't playing golf.
898
The man who was the world's top-ranked golfer for an astonishing 683 weeks sits 898th on the official rankings. That number will improve greatly, though, as long as Woods just finishes four rounds. With the limited 18-player field, the 40-year-old will move up a minimum of 140 places just for completing the tournament.
Hoping for a good comeback for @TigerWoods @HWC2016. Simply finishing the event would lead to a notable #OWGR boost. Here are the scenarios: pic.twitter.com/JnZAnOVlAM
— Nosferatu (@VC606) November 28, 2016
70
It seems the recent memories people have of Woods center around chipping issues and withdrawing from tournaments, but the last we saw of the 14-time major champion actually wasn't that bad. Woods finished tied for 10th in the Wyndham Championship, birdieing four of his last six holes on Sunday to shoot 70 on the day.
0
The number of competitive rounds he's played with a Bridgestone 330S golf ball is zero, but that's what Woods will hit on his first tee shot Thursday. With Nike announcing they were exiting the equipment industry, Woods is a free agent on the market, and has decided to use the Bridgestone ball. He has also been testing TaylorMade M-2 drivers and fairway woods, so don't be shocked to see those in the bag either. Photos taken by Steve DiMeglio of USA Today show he's sticking with Nike irons and wedges, though.
8
During Woods' recovery from back surgery, he was unable to practice or work out, but he found a different way to occupy his time. The longtime military supporter revealed on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" that he spent eight hours per day playing Call of Duty online against 7-year-old's.