Is Tiger Woods' Limp Getting Worse? We Watched His Wednesday Practice Round

Tiger Woods has a 'hitch in his giddy-up,' as fans and media gathered to watch him play his final nine-hole warmup session Wednesday morning.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Hunched over, Tiger Woods reached down, grabbed his right thigh and raised his foot a few inches off the ground. There it hung, an odd pose, all his weight removed from a leg reconstructed just 14 months ago.

And then, as if purposely done for the thousands of fans encircling him during Wednesday’s practice round, their focus on his every move, specifically that right leg of his, Woods wiggled his raised foot. Right and then left, and then back right and then left again.

The Tiger shimmy; the Tiger shake.

He then dropped his foot to the greenside turf at Augusta National’s 17th hole, straightened up tall and chipped a few balls up the damp slope, nearly holing a few.

“Welcome back, Tiger!” a fan yelled toward him.

Woods whipped his head around, smiled and nodded.

And off he went, marching toward the 18th hole, the final of his nine-hole practice round Wednesday here at The Masters. He showed no real signs that he wouldn’t play this event.

Sure, he had a slight limp, a “hitch in his giddy-up,” as one patron mused. And, yes, he flashed that wiggle. But the most noticeable issue: When walking down a steep slope, Woods moved with a noticeable hitch to take as much weight off the right leg. Some folks on the Internet got a little panicky on Wednesday:

Uh oh. Tiger Woods walking with a bit of a limp today that we didn't see earlier in the week. 😞 pic.twitter.com/reGRw24P6l

— Cork Gaines, Ph.D. (@CorkGaines) April 6, 2022

It’s no real surprise. After a February 2021 car crash, Woods needed multiple surgeries to repair the mangled right leg. It’s quite a “miraculous thing” that he’s even here, Fred Couples, Woods’ practice round playing partner, said afterward.

Asked Fred Couples what he thought about Tiger’s game after playing 18 total holes with him. Namely, how it compares to ‘18 and ‘19 practice rounds.

Long pause.

“Honestly, he looks exactly the same…it’s a miraculous thing.”

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) April 6, 2022

Woods’ nine-hole practice round Wednesday followed nine holes Sunday, nine again Monday and a range session Tuesday morning. Yet still, he hasn’t completely committed to playing in this tournament.

So, will he? Wiggle and all, it sure seems like it.

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- 30 Years Later, Fred Couples' Green Jacket Still Resonates
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