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Tiger Woods puts on display in Tuesday clinic after Safeway withdrawal

Tiger Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open for what was dubbed
Tiger Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open for what was dubbed “performance reasons” by Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte. (Getty Images)


Tiger Woods may not have been ready to put his game on public display for cameras and hordes of people at a PGA Tour event, but he was willing to put on a show for fans at a clinic on Tuesday.

Just a few hours coastward from Silverado Resort, site of the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif., Woods demonstrated his game at Monterey Peninsula Country Club as part of a charity tournament and outing benefiting his foundation. Woods’ swing appears to be in good shape based on video shared by Steve Lutton on Twitter.

Woods notes he is trying to add more speed to his swing. He’s been hitting driver in earnest for approximately 6 weeks, which runs somewhat contrary to reports that he had been using the big stick for longer as part of his rehabilitation from a pair of back surgeries in Fall 2015.

During the clinic, Woods said he is still figuring out what equipment he will play moving forward, as Nike Golf will no longer make golf clubs, balls and bags. Woods is overheard in one of Lutton’s videos saying that he’s received equipment from most every manufacturer. However, he’s currently playing his old Nike clubs and using the same putter he’s used for 13 of his 14 major championship wins. He’ll continue playing Nike balls into the future.

Woods withdrew from the Safeway Open on Monday, writing on his website that his game feels “vulnerable.” The 14-time major winner said he will also not play an intended start at the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open in November. He said he fully intends to play in the 18-man Hero World Challenge, run by his foundation, in the Bahamas in December.


Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.