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Tiger Woods determined to make Ryder Cup team to complete comeback after injury

Woods is in contention to qualify as one of the automatic eight players on Jim Furyk’s team but will be handed a captain’s pick if he fails to do so

Tuesday 21 August 2018 18:25 BST
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Tiger Woods: I never thought I'd play the Open again

Tiger Woods has reiterated his desire to crown his year of redemption by winning a place on the US Ryder Cup team.

Woods is preparing to feature in the FedEx Cup play-offs at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey having qualified for the event for the first time in five years.

It follows the 42-year-old's spectacular return to form at the US PGA Championships this month, when a final round 64 placed his second behind winner Brooks Koepka.

Woods has already been named as a vice-captain for the event, which is due to start in France at the end of next month, assisting captain Jim Furyk.

Tiger Woods narrowly missed out on a first major win in over a decade at the PGA Championship 

Woods said: "At the beginning of the year I told Jim I want to be a part of the team, not just as a vice-captain but as a player, and I'm close to making that happen.

"It's been a long year and one of my goals was to make that team as one of the 12 best players, and I'm training for it."

Woods believes his battling comeback from four back surgeries which threatened his future in the sport has endeared him to a new group of fans.

In a far cry from his early, dominant days on the tour, Woods' return has exposed his vulnerabilities and contributed to what he describes as his "different" year.

Jim Furyk will replace Tiger Woods as his vice-captain if he is selected on his 12-man team

"Everyone can relate to it because they've all gone through it - when you get to your forties you're feeling it," he said.

"I've struggled and I've had some back pain, I've been through four surgeries and I'm trying to work back and it's been tough, and people understand that.

"I think people are more appreciative. They know I'm at the tail-end of my career. I don't know how many years I've got left but I'm certain I'm not like I was when I was 22. At 42 it is a different ball-game."

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