by JOHN-MARC
Tiger Woods is set to make a return to golf this week, as he takes on some of the worlds best in the 2016 Hero World Challenge.
Hero Corp Marketing Director Pawn Munjal knows that “There is a special excitement in the air” with Woods returning to competitive golf.
It has been a long 15 months for Woods after he had two back surgeries in the fall of 2015 to relieve discomfort of a pinch nerve.
The bond the player’s hold for each other is special and as Woods called it, the PGA Tour is a “special fraternity” to him, noted by the players’ support of him since his recovery process began.
“The amount of dinners I’ve gone out to with the guys, the texts, the phone calls over the last 14, 15, 16 month, the guys wanted me to come back out here and play or help in any way possible,” he said.
Despite the long layoff Woods knew that in his downtime it was important to concentrate on this brand and look out for his best interests for life after golf.
“I really did some pretty good thinking of how to put together TGR (Tiger Wood Ventures) and I think that, that in itself, part of ‑‑ basically I’m setting up phase two of my life. I call it phase two because I can’t play this game forever at a competitive, high level. Would I love to? Yes. Guys have played into their 70s and 80s, but they’re not competing at a world‑class level. “
Defending Champion Bubba Watson has great memories of last years tournament when he shot a four day 263 for 25 under par. While he knows that he has come here to win a golf tournament, Watson and his family always enjoy making the trip to the Bahamas.
“My family loves coming here. I think all the families love coming here with we call it the pirate ship, my son calls it the pirate ship, but the water park over there. The golf course is in great shape. So it’s fun coming back here doing this event that they put on is an amazing thing.” Watson said.
And while Watson knows that Tigers will be making his comeback this week, he knows the importance of having Woods back in a field of a completive golf tournament.
“He’s playing golf now just for himself and just showing his own pride that he can do it again and it doesn’t matter what other people think. So our support is just his own ‑‑ his own kind, his own athletes that he’s playing against trying to beat and beat for many years showing him love and support and that we’re right here behind him, no matter what. We’ll give him the shirt off our backs if we need to.
Despite being ranked No.898 in the world, Woods is grateful to be taking park in this tournament with a sense of humor.
“I know you have to be in the Top 50 in order to get into this event, but the committee allowed one person who’s outside the top 50 get into the event. I mean “the committee.”