Tiger Woods to younger self: ‘Get away from the game, have a life balance’

Editor’s Note: Watch Living Golf’s exclusive “Four Days with Tiger” at these times (GMT): Mar 2: 1730; Mar 4: 0730, 2230; Mar 5: 1730: Mar 11: 1730; Mar 12: 0630, 2130.

Twenty years ago he sparked an era that would change golf forever, but what advice would Tiger Woods give to his 21-year-old self?

“I’d have to say be patient on scheduling, don’t do too much,” Woods told CNN’s Shane O’Donoghue in an exclusive interview for Living Golf ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Much has happened to Woods since he won his maiden major at the 1997 Masters.

Records tumbled, 14 majors piled up, scandal and injury took their toll.

Yet as he attempts to rebuild his career, the former long-time world No. 1 is sidelined again with back problems, after missing more 15 months following multiple back surgeries.

“[Get] different hobbies to get away from the game, have a life balance,” the 41-year-old Woods added as he continued to reflect. “I think that’s so important.”

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Age gap

Woods’ latest comeback stalled when he withdrew from last month’s tournament in Dubai before the second round citing back spasms.

He has not played since and canceled a news conference ahead of the Genesis Open, which benefits his foundation, because of the ongoing back spasms.

While Woods has been battling to get fit for another tilt at the top of the game, a new generation of players has broken through, with many of his early influences in the game moving on to the senior tour.

“I’m playing against kids that were born after I turned pro,” he added. “That’s what’s so scary.

“The turnover is happening so fast and I’ve been away from it so long that a lot of these names are new to me.”

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4 days with Tiger Woods

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Business interests

Perhaps accepting the end of his competitive career is closer than the beginning, Woods has put more energy into his business interests of late, including golf course design.

One of his fledgling projects is a new 18-hole championship course called the Trump World Golf Club in Dubai.

“I love designing golf courses,” he said. “I love creating, especially when you have a blank canvas, like here [Dubai]. It’s just sand, you can create anything you want.”

So what is the Woods design philosophy?

“I want it to be tough for the better players, giving them different angles, different challenges, but also be fun for the recreational player so the weekend warrior can go out there and have fun,” he said.

“We believe in creativity, we believe in speed of play, and the fastest way to speed up play is for players not to lose golf balls. Also using every club in the bag around the green, from putter to three wood.

“I like playing the ball on the ground, bumping it and creating, but you can’t do that anymore now the way courses are being set up.”

Tiger Woods clinched his fifth Masters and 15th major title with victory at Augusta in April.

The former world No. 1 had not won the Masters since 2005, and it was his first major win since 2008.

A month after winning the Masters, Woods received the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Donald Trump.

Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship in September 2018. It was his first title in five years following a succession of back injuries.

Signs that Woods was back to his best were obvious at August's PGA Championship, where he finished runner-up to Brooks Koepka. It followed an impressive showing at July's British Open, where he briefly topped the leaderboard.

Woods made an impressive return to competitive golf in 2018 after multiple back surgeries in recent years. He played his first Masters in three years in April 2018.

The four-time champion had back fusion surgery -- his fourth procedure -- in April 2017 and returned to the game pain-free in December. He finished tied 32nd at Augusta.

Woods was touted as one of the favorites after impressing in his early-season events. He also set tongues wagging by playing a practice round with old rival Phil Mickelson, right.

Woods finished tied second at the Valspar Championship in March 2018 and followed it up with a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The hype needle moved into overdrive.

Woods set out on his legendary path by becoming the youngest winner of the Masters -- at 21 -- with a record 12-shot win in 1997.

One of his most remarkable feats was winning his first US Open by an unprecedented 15 shots at Pebble Beach, California, in 2000, sparking a streak never seen before or since.

Woods' victory in the 2001 Masters meant he held all four of golf's major titles at the same time, dubbed the "Tiger Slam."

Woods' win rate, his dedication to fitness training and his desire to succeed were changing golf. Prize money rocketed because of Woods. Off the course, he married girlfriend Elin Nordegren in 2004.

Woods showed rare emotion when he broke down in tears on the shoulder of caddie Steve Williams following his win in the 2006 British Open at Hoylake, months after his father and mentor Earl passed away.

Despite being visibly hampered and in pain from a knee injury, Woods won the US Open in breathtaking fashion at Torrey Pines, California, in 2008. It was his 14th major title to leave him only four behind the record of Jack Nicklaus. He was later diagnosed with knee ligament damage and two fractures of his left tibia. He missed the rest of the season after surgery. It is still his last major title.

In December 2009, Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant outside his home. As the big picture emerged it was discovered Woods had been conducting a series of extra martial affairs. He took three months away from the game to sort out his private life.

In February 2010 Woods addressed the world's media to explain and apologise for his actions. His infidelity led to divorce and was the beginning of a downhill slide in Woods' playing career. By October he lost the world No. 1 ranking, a position he had held for 281 consecutive weeks

Back in the fold, Woods earned his first win in two years at the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011, a charity tournament he hosts that does not count on the PGA Tour money list.

Woods was back in the winner's circle in 2013, lifting five titles, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational, to get back to the top of the rankings.

In March 2013, Woods and Lindsey Vonn announced they were dating on Facebook. In January that year, the champion skier had finalized her divorce from Thomas Vonn, after initializing proceedings in 2011. In May 2015, Woods and Vonn announced their breakup, with the golfer claiming he "hadn't slept" in the days following.

Later in 2013 there were signs all was not well as Woods was seen to be in pain as he picked the ball out of the hole at the Barclays tournament in August. He missed the Masters the following April for the first time since 1994 to undergo back surgery.

Woods pulled out of the Farmers Insurance Open in February 2015, and struggled with injury and form for the rest of the season.

Woods cut a dejected figure at that year's US Open as he struggled with his game and carded rounds of 80 and 76 to miss the cut.

In August 2015 Woods made his last appearance for 15 months to undergo follow-up back surgeries. At one stage during his rehabilitation, Woods spoke of there being "no light at the end of the tunnel" -- and with one eye on his fading career, he suggested "everything beyond this will be gravy."

Woods made a much-anticipated return to golf in December 2016, showing signs of promise with the highest number of birdies in the field -- 24 -- but he also made a number of costly errors to finish third from last in the 18-man event.

He missed the cut in his first event of 2017 in the US and pulled out after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic in February, citing back spasms. He underwent a fourth back prodecure in April.

The golf legend was arrested Monday, May 29, on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was booked into a local jail in Florida and released a few hours later. He said in a statement he had "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications."

In August Woods entered a first-offender program and pleaded guilty to reckless driving on October 28. He will avoid jail unless he commits major violations of his probation.

Woods returned to golf after 301 days at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on November 30 2017. He carded a three-under first-round 69 and appeared pain-free and hungry to resume his career.

Tiger Woods: From highs to lows

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The future may be unclear but Woods insists he is in the game of golf for the long haul.

“I’m looking forward to positive things building and accruing and getting momentum,” he said.

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“Golf is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”