Woods' strength back after 'busting butt in gym pretty hard'

Golfing great Tiger Woods has said that his strength has returned from 'busting his butt' in the gym pretty hard and the former World No 1 is on schedule to resume competition in December.

Woods still has not hit a golf ball since he missed the cut at the PGA Championship on August 8, and still did not know when he would. He said on Monday that they are pretty much past the strength phase now, and added that he has got his strength where he wants to have it.

Woods, who is at Isleworth Golf and Country Club, where he lived for the first 15 years of his pro career, said that now he just needs to get his fast twitch going and get his speed back, and that's going to take a little bit of time.

The American said that speed is part of their second phase of training, and added that that is coming up now.

This year Woods has endured his fifth surgery in 20 years, this time on his back, and has failed to find form on the golf course since, the report added.

Woods also laughed off current World No1 Rory McIlroy's recent estimation that the American and compatriot Phil Mickelson are in the back nine of their careers.

Woods, whose 39th birthday is looming in December, said that he thought it was funny, adding that Mickelson has less holes to play than he does, though.

Woods said that he has been out there for a while, and Mickelson has been out there for a while. He added that Mickelson has made every single Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team since '95 or something, which is pretty remarkable.

The American golf ace said that as long as one is still part of that conversation, one crosses generations in this game of golf.