Tiger Woods dines with PGA champ Justin Thomas, resumes putting activities

Woods celebrated Justin Thomas’ victory with the newly crowned PGA champion and says he has started ‘light lifting’ and ‘putting a little.’

Tiger Woods had a rather eventful post-PGA Championship Monday, what with responding to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office toxicology report of medications he had ingested before his DUI arrest in May, joining PGA winner Justin Thomas for a celebratory dinner, and noting he had resumed golf activities in an effort at making a presumed comeback sometime in the future.

Thomas, who credited the elder statesman and seemingly every PGA Tour’s mentor with teaching him “a lot” in recent times, took the Wanamaker Trophy — which Woods lifted in 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2007 — with him to supper at an unknown location (though Woods’ restaurant The Woods in Jupiter, Fla., where first-time major winner Thomas resides) is a good guess.

As an appetizer of sorts, Woods addressed the list of five drugs found in his system the night of his arrest, saying he erred in trying to self-medicate for his ongoing back pain and insomnia, was working in concert with his medical professionals, and was “right on schedule” in recovering from the most recent procedure on his back, a minimally invasive anterior lumbar interbody fusion performed in April.

"As I previously said, I received professional help to manage my medications,” Woods said in a statement released to Golf Channel. “Recently, I had been trying on my own to treat my back pain and a sleep disorder, including insomnia, but I realize now it was a mistake to do this without medical assistance. I am continuing to work with my doctors, and they feel I've made significant progress. I remain grateful for the amazing support that I continue to receive and for the family and friends that are assisting me.”

Perhaps of most interest to Woods watchers was his throw-away line about how he was progressing with his rehab and, presumably, preparing to return to competitive golf.

"Regarding my back, I recently spoke to my surgeon and he's very pleased with how my fusion is healing. I'm right on schedule,” Woods said. “I’m now doing some light lifting, riding a stationary bike and putting a little.”

Woods declined to toss in the familiar “no timetable for return” line, but if he is just now using the flat stick we can assume he has no specific date circled on his calendar — though April is a long eight months away. With that in mind, Woods fans may like to know that they may bet on their guy as a long shot (100-1, according to Golfodds.com) to win the Masters.

Thomas, by the way, shares 25-1 odds of prevailing at Augusta with reigning U.S. Open victor Brooks Koepka, while 2015 Masters winner Jordan Spieth is the oddsmaker’s favorite, at 7-1, to win a second green jacket.