Tiger Woods says his ‘heart is really not into practising’ as he casts doubt over the prospects of a comeback at the Players Championship next week

has cast doubt over the prospects of a comeback at the Players Championship next week after admitting his ‘heart is really not into practising’.

The 15-time major champion has not played at Tour-level since  last summer, with back surgery accounting for much of his lay-off before he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational earlier this month following the death of his mother.

There have been whispers that he might return at the PGA Tour’s flagship event at Sawgrass, which would serve as a sharpener ahead of  in April, but his latest update makes that seem unlikely.

Speaking after his Jupiter Links GC team were eliminated from the TGL indoor competition this week, the 49-year-old said: ‘This is the third time I’ve touched a club since my mom passed so I haven’t really gotten into it.

‘My heart is really not into practising right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the Tour and trying to do other things.

‘Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I’ll start looking at the schedule.’