‘Tiger Woods specials’ offer range of prop bets for Big Cat’s impending comeback

Wanna bet that the world’s 1164th-ranked golfer makes the cut in his 1st tournament since February, works his way back into the world’s top 50, or hooks back up with Steve Williams or Butch Harmon? Then these ‘Tiger Woods specials’ are for you.

Tiger Woods is clearly on the mend and presumably on his way back to the PGA Tour after his medical team cleared him for “full golf activity.” So, naturally, speculation runs rampant about when and where he will take his first competitive swing since February (we’re guessing the 2018 Masters), how he looks (in winning form, according to ex-swing coach Hank Haney), and, well, you know the drill.

Here’s the fun stuff: Euro-based bookmaker Paddy Power wasted no time in offering gamblers a slew of “Tiger Woods specials” on which to place their bets.

(Image via Paddy Power)

Among our favorites:

• To play the 2018 Ryder Cup

A year out from the Paris matches, Woods’ agent said his client plans to take things slowly on his return (where have we heard that before?), but 2018 U.S. Ryder helmsman Jim Furyk suggested Tuesday that Tiger could tee it up at Le Golf National come next September.

“The swing that I saw on that video looked a lot like Tiger Woods. It reminded me of his swing of the past,” Furyk told reporters during the “Year to Go” press conference from Paris. “It probably still needed a little speed. He probably still needs a little bit of golf strength maybe.”

Or, the Big Cat could reprise his role as vice skipper — one that he obviously savored during last year’s Ryder Cup and earlier this month at the Presidents Cup (even if an official did spurn the 14-time major champion during a rules kerfuffle) — but one we’re sure he would shed in a nanosecond if he were able to play and earn a nod as a captain’s pick.

“We really don't know when Tiger will be healthy. We really don't know when he'll return to competitive golf. And the last part of that question was, does the U.S. Team need Tiger Woods to be a part of the team,” Furyk added. “I will say that Tiger Woods is a great resource and would be a welcome to the team, whether that would be as a playing personnel or whether that would be as a vice captain. He's been a great resource and a great person to have in the team room, so I'm hoping he will be part of that team.”

• To hire Butch Harmon again

While Paddy Power puts those odds at 33/1, compared with 12/1 that Steve Williams will handle Tiger’s bag again, the term “no way in Hell” (for both parties) comes to mind.

Though there are no odds on whether Woods would ever re-up with Haney, swing coach No. 3 had an interesting take on his ex-student’s most recent “making progress” video.

It seems rather premature to call one recorded swing a winner, especially since it was not exactly a forceful motion and there’s no way to know at this point how Tiger’s surgically repaired back will hold up under protracted reps and competitive stress. But if anyone is qualified to proclaim Woods a winner, it’s Hank.

Haney followed Harmon as Woods’ swing coach and was by his player’s side from 2004-2010, after which Sean Foley (2010-2014) signed on with Team Tiger.