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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jack Nicklaus expects Tiger Woods to overcome his recent Achilles injury, join the PGA Tour Champions and “dominate” the senior circuit.
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“I think Tiger will get well and Tiger will be back and play,” Nicklaus said Thursday after he, Gary Player and Tom Watson served as the honorary starters for this year’s Masters.
“I believe he’ll probably play the senior tour and I believe he’ll probably dominate the senior tour. Tiger is too much of a competitor to not play. I don’t believe he will not play. I believe he will play.
“I don’t think Tiger will play for money. He doesn’t need money. Tiger will play for competition. He loves competition, and he’s very good at it, obviously.”
Woods will be eligible for the Tour Champions after he turns 50 in December. He is recovering from surgery a month ago to repair a ruptured Achilles, an injury that prevented the Jupiter Island resident from playing this week’s Masters, and likely the other three majors this year.
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Jack Nicklaus throws a jab at Phil Mickelson and his LIV status
Nicklaus was asked about Phil Mickelson still competing in majors while Woods continues to deal with injures.
Jack Nicklaus tees off on no. 1 as an honorary starter during the first round of the Masters Tournament.
While praising Woods, whose 15 major championships are second all-time behind Nicklaus’ 18, Nicklaus took a shot at Mickelson.
“I don’t know what level Phil is competing at,” said Nicklaus, who lives in North Palm Beach. “I guess he’s still playing. He’s playing the LIV Tour, is he? I don’t know if he’s playing or not. I don’t know, you never see that anymore.”
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Mickelson is one of 12 LIV golfers in the Masters field.
“Tiger has been very unlucky to have these injuries,” Player said. “He was starting to play again, and you get Achilles tendon and he has back problems, and golf is conducive to giving you a back problem. I think almost everybody who plays golf long enough has a new hip or a spine operation of some kind, and some their bodies are different than others.”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jack Nicklaus hopeful on Tiger Woods, takes shot at Phil Mickelson
