MIAMI (AFP) — Tiger Woods said he has a “long way to go” in his bid to compete against the world’s best golfers as he continues to recover from his latest pain-relieving back surgery in September.

“I’m just progressively trying to test it, keep making progress without setting it off,” said the 15-time major champion, who nevertheless remained confident he would return to competition even though he couldn’t say when.

“I don’t want to have any setbacks, just want to keep making progress and give myself the best chance going into next year as possible,” said Woods, who will turn 49 on 30 December.

“I feel like I’m getting stronger, I’m getting more pliable, but I’ve got a long way to go to be able to compete against these guys.”

Woods was speaking before the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, the tournament he hosts for the benefit of his charitable foundation.

He has used the limited-field event in the past to launch a return from injury but said that this year he just wasn’t ready.

“I’m not tournament sharp yet, no. I’m still not there,” he said.

“So, when I’m ready to compete and play at this level, then I will.”

Woods hasn’t played since he missed the cut at the British Open in July.

Playing a limited schedule in 2024 as he continued to deal with injuries sustained in a 2021 car crash, Woods withdrew from the Genesis Invitational because of illness then finished last among those who made the cut at the Masters.

He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and US Open before missing the cut at Royal Troon.

“The fire still burns to compete,” the US superstar said.

“The difference is the recovery of the body to do it is not what it used to be.”

“That’s part of age and part of an athlete’s journey.”

Woods said his back trouble, which caused painful muscle spasms and pain that radiates down one leg, became progressively worse as 2024 went on.

While the procedure successfully alleviated the pain, he said, Woods couldn’t yet say how much he would play in 2025 after aiming to play one tournament a month in 2024.

“Whether my commitment going forward is once a month, yeah, I could say that all over again, but I truly don’t know,” he said.

“I’m just trying to rehab and still get stronger and better and feel better, really give myself the best chance I can going into next year.”

Meanwhile, Woods expressed disappointment at the delay in finalizing a PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger but said “things are moving” in the bid to bridge the global divide in men’s golf.

“I think all of us who have been a part of this process would have thought it would have happened quicker than this,” Woods, a vice chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board, said.

“But we wish we would have had something more concrete and further along than we are right now.”

“But things are very fluid, we’re still working through it, it’s happening daily.”

“From a policy board standpoint or from an enterprise standpoint, things are moving and they’re constructive. But yes, definitely moving.”

Woods noted any agreement between the US PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund — backers of the breakaway LIV Golf circuit — would still require approval from the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division.