BY NEARLY EVERY MEASURE, TIGER WOODS had a successful initial return from his fourth back surgery and long layoff from tournament golf. Tiger's play at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas surprised virtually everyone, probably even himself.
The unofficial event with an 18-man field also provided world-ranking points. Woods benefited in a big way, as MORNING READ reported:
Tiger Woods climbed [531 spots] in Monday’s updated Official World Golf Ranking after he tied for ninth in the Hero World Challenge. The unofficial PGA Tour event, which awarded OWGR points, marked the first competition for Woods since he withdrew after one round from a European Tour event in Dubai in early February and then underwent spinal fusion surgery in April.