Ice, ice baby: Tiger Woods tired of treatment

Age is the great equalizer. Even when your name is Tiger Woods.

The 35-year-old golfer has long been known for hard-core training regimens, including six-mile runs before tee times. As the injuries pile up, Woods is coming to grips with his advancing age.

“As you get older, you have to do things differently,” he said. “The body doesn’t allow you to do these things and you just have to be smarter about it.”

Woods spoke at Aronimink Golf Club yesterday in advance of the AT&T National, a tournament run by the Tiger Woods Foundation that is set for June 28-July 3 in Newtown Square.

“It’s great to be back,” Woods said. “The golf course is in phenomenal shape. It’s only going to get harder and more difficult come tournament time.”

Whether Woods actually plays in the tournament is another matter, as he rehabs from left knee and Achilles tendon injuries. His primary goal is to play in next month’s U.S. Open.

“All my docs have said it should be ready to go by then, should be good to go,” Woods said.

For the past week, he has been wearing a boot and using crutches, and he hopes to start strength training next week. Woods, who usually spends six hours a day at the driving range, hasn’t swung a club since May 12, when he pulled out of The Players Championship after nine holes.

“I’m getting pretty tired of ice,” Woods joked. “I’ve been with my kids a lot, which has been great. I’ve been with them, and that’s been actually fantastic. But the other time is spent in treatment.”

Woods said surgery has never been discussed. And — despite four procedures on his knee — he wouldn’t call it a chronic condition.

“I’m sure down the road it may be more difficult,” Woods said. “Hopefully, I’ll be in a cart by then, on the Senior Tour.”

Aronimink’s test run over, up to officials

Aronimink Golf Club jumped at the chance to host the AT&T National in an effort to catch the PGA Tour or USGA’s eye.

After receiving rave reviews from players and officials following last year’s tournament, the Newtown Square course is on the radar.

“The only thing it’s probably missing is the length and maybe a little infrastructure as well,” Woods said. “Certainly I think that Aronimink is a hell of a golf course, and they’ve had major championships in the past, but we’ll see what happens.”

This was a two-year test run for Aronimink, as AT&T National will shift to its permanent home at Congressional Country Club.