Tiger Woods Comments on Jack Nicklaus' Major Record, Recovery from Injury, More

Tiger Woods believes he can still break Jack Nicklaus' major championship record. All he has to do is find a way back on the course.

The record of 18 majors is "still attainable," Woods, 40, said Monday at an event for his Quicken Loans National tournament, per Golf Channel's Tiger Tracker. Woods hosts the event, which benefits his foundation, and said he hopes to be healthy in time for the tournament's June 23 start.

The 14-time major winner has not played a competitive round of golf since a 10th-place finish at the Wyndham Championship last August. A second microdiscectomy of his back took place in September, and he underwent a cleanup procedure to alleviate discomfort in October. Woods has not offered a firm timetable for his return.

"I’m excited to hopefully get back out here to play, compete…hopefully I can do that," Woods said. 

He is currently the No. 524 golfer in the world. He hasn't won a competitive tournament since 2013, and it's been nearly eight full years since his last major championship. The likes of Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy have led a new generation of golfers who have long passed him by. Even longtime rival Phil Mickelson remains competitive on tour.

Yet Woods insists talk of his demise is premature.

"People have written me off. I’m not fertilizer," he said.

Woods also acknowledged that age and injuries will change his training regimen. He said he'll no longer put his body through the eight-hour practice days or distance running sessions that revolutionized the way golfers stayed in shape. That said, he appeared eager to get back in action. 

"Sitting still is how you get better. That is not in my nature," Woods said. 

Woods subsequently took to the tee box and showed how far he has to go. Playing the 10th tee at Congressional, he hit three straight shots into the water—surprisingly not showing his classic temper along the way.

The former world No. 1 is registered to play at this year's U.S. Open, but it's unclear if he'll be healthy in time. Given what he's gone through over the past few years, health should trump everything as he attempts another comeback.

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