RIDGEDALE, Mo. -- In front of a large crowd gathered for his latest course design announcement, Tiger Woods took two swings into a par-3 hole and remained noncommittal about his return to competitive golf.
"The back is progressing," he said. "I have good days and bad days. I've had three back operations and that's just kind of the nature of the business, unfortunately. That's all I can say."
Woods hasn't played a competitive round since withdrawing after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic in early February for what he classified as back spasms. The four-time Masters champion recently missed that tournament for a third time in the past four years.
He did, however, hit a few shots in public Tuesday afternoon for the first time since that withdrawal in Dubai.
Challenged by the great-nephew of Johnny Morris -- the owner and founder of Big Cedar Lodge, where Woods will develop his first public course design -- he hit two shots off a makeshift tee at what will become a par-3 19th hole once the course is built.
The first shot was reminiscent of Woods' three tentative swings during a news conference at Congressional Country Club last year. While each of those fell short of the 10th green and splashed into the adjacent pond, Woods' first shot Tuesday rattled around the rocks that will front the green on the yet-to-be-built course.
His second, though, landed pin-high, about 10 feet from the cup.
"The first shot was crap," he offered with a laugh. "The second shot, I stiffed it."
He also knocked a few jokes to tap-in range.
Speaking to current PGA Tour Champions member Tom Lehman, who was acting as emcee for the event, Woods alluded to "nine more years" until he can tee it up among the senior circuit. The 41-year-old later insisted that it's "right around the corner."
The announcement was less about Woods' health and future, though, than the newest course design for his company, TGR Design. Already with El Cardonal at Diamante and Bluejack National under his belt, Woods' latest project will honor late Missouri native Payne Stewart, to be called Payne's Valley.
With Stewart's widow, Tracey, in the audience, Woods explained that he wanted to offer a course that will serve as a living memorial to his former Ryder Cup teammate, who died in a 1999 plane crash at age 42.
The course is expected to open in 2019.
Much as with his other designs, Woods will also develop a nine-hole short course on property at the Big Cedar Lodge resort that will be geared toward beginner golfers and children.
"Golf can be made fun," Woods said. "I know we're struggling with it right now. The golf industry is flat. It's hard to get people access into the game, but also the sustainability of it -- especially our youth. How many of our kids look up and see the world? They're always looking down [at phones or other devices] and typing things. That's what we're trying to fight."