Golf legend Tiger Woods remains “a ways away” from returning to play following his back surgery in October, he said Tuesday.

Woods, who turns 50 on December 30, underwent a disk replacement surgery in his back on Oct. 10. He said his recovery has “been slow,” but he was medically cleared last week to resume chipping and putting.

“I just started to chip and putt. I just started to lift in the gym. I just started this process,” Woods told reporters Tuesday at the Hero World Challenge in Bahamas, which benefits his TGR Foundation. “A disk replacement takes time. It’s not as long as a fusion, thank god, but it’s going to take time.”

Woods won’t compete at this week’s Hero World Challenge and won’t play alongside his son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, from Dec. 18-2

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