Tiger Woods Is Feeling 'Way Better' and Will Play in BMW Championship

Tiger Woods withdrew from THE NORTHERN TRUST golf tournament last week due to an oblique strain. This ended his pursuit of the $9.25 million prize and put his future tournaments in doubt. There were concerns about his ability to continue in the FedEx Tournament due to the strain, especially considering that the next tournament on the docket was mere days away.

However, Woods was able to make a return to the links and will be taking part in the BMW Championship, which is held at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. According to Sports Illustrated, Woods played nine holes in the BMW Championship on Wednesday, but only opted to putt and chip on the back nine. By all reports, he was able to play without pain.

"Way better," Woods said about his health. "It was nice to take those days and just let it calm down and get a bunch of treatment on it. It feels so much better."

While the return to the links was a positive sign for Woods, it does not come without any other possible concerns. He told reporters in attendance that there are still issues for him to deal with when playing.

"The forces have gotta go somewhere," Woods said. "Unfortunately, when I make any tweaks and changes to my swing, it's like a new body part is aching. Unfortunately I can't play around the back like I used to, and unfortunately, things flare up."

If he can remain healthy, Woods does have a solid chance to win the BMW Championship. He has reigned triumphant in this tournament twice in his career (2007, 2009), and he will be looking for a third victory heading into the weekend. Although what he really needs is a strong performance to keep him alive in the FedEx Tournament.

If Woods can finish among the top 30, he can make a return to the Tour Championship, which he won last year and notched his 80th PGA Tour title. This marked his first victory since undergoing spinal fusion surgery and the first since 2013. However, achieving this task will be fairly difficult for the veteran golfer. According to Sports Illustrated, Woods currently sits at 38th overall after one day of play, so he has considerable ground to make up during the BMW Championship.