Tiger still has a 'long way to go'

Miami - Tiger Woods (above) said yesterday 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.

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"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."