Tiger Woods Bombing Tee Shots ahead of Hero World Challenge

The anticipation is almost over and Tiger Woods is set to step back into a tee box this weekend at the Hero Challenge. And recent companions of Tiger are jumping on the hype train for the weekend.

Last we saw of Tiger in an actual competition, he didn’t look like himself and was having trouble getting the distance we have all been used to seeing. But recently, players have been noticing a change in Tiger’s approach that bodes well for the future. In fact, players that have taken the course with him recently have been astounded by how far Tiger has been ripping his drives.

Playing a casual 18 holes with Brad Faxon, Dustin Johnson and the President of the United States, Woods was said to be bombing tee shots further than everyone, including Johnson. Being that DJ was second on the PGA TOUR last year in driving distance, that’s a huge positive for the 41-year-old Woods.

And in a practice round with Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed, Tiger was consistently outdriving Reed by at least 15 yards.

Worth noting that TW is a consistent 15 yards past P. Reed off the tee. It’s a practice round and Reed’s not the longest, but still.

— Tiger Tracker (@GCTigerTracker) November 27, 2017

If all these reports are true, it looks like Tiger could exceed his already lofty expectations for the Hero Challenge. But Faxon did throw out a word of caution after playing with Woods. “I don’t want to make it sound like I’m saying he’s going to win next week,” Faxon said. “It’s obviously different playing a fun, casual round like this as opposed to a tournament. But he’s in a great place mentally and physically.”

Looking great physically is certainly a good sign for Tiger. When he was playing last year, especially in Dubai, it was evident that he never felt comfortable with his swing or any part of his game. Being in a great mental place may be an even better sign for Woods since golf is an extremely mental sport and he has gone through so many distractions recently. If he’s in peak golf shape both mentally and physically, he’s going to be dangerous.

By all accounts, it seems like Tiger is finally ready for a full comeback onto the PGA TOUR and the Hero Challenge was the perfect spot to return. Let’s just hope he takes whatever he’s doing in casual rounds and is able to replicate it in live competition.

Cover Image via Instagram