Woods not setting target for return to action

TIGER WOODS does not know when he will be able to play again after doctors built a new knee ligament using tendon taken from his right hamstring.

The 32-year-old American won last month's US Open after a play-off against Rocco Mediate before announcing that he needed reconstructive surgery on his left knee and would take the rest of the year off.

He told a teleconference this week he was not sure when he would make his comeback.

"We have to see how this thing heals. Everyone heals at a different rate," he said. "Some people are back to playing sports in six months, some are nine, some are 12."

Woods is wearing a straight-leg brace and will use crutches for three weeks because he cannot put weight on the leg.

He is host of this week's ATT National at Congressional Country Club outside Washington DC, but will not be attending the tournament.

"I would love to be there," Woods said. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can make it. Flying, unfortunately, swells up my leg pretty good. When I flew home from the procedure, it ballooned up a little bit.

Woods underwent an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction of his left knee.

"They did take a graft, basically a tendon out of my right hamstring, and implemented it into my left knee and made it my new ACL, and they fixed a little bit of cartilage damage I had in there, and that was about it," he said.

• GARETH SHAW produced a sensational putting display in the sweltering heat of Turin yesterday to help Ireland get their European Amateur Team title defence off to a strong start.

Thunder and lightning played havoc with the championship, and play for the day could not be completed and unfinished rounds will be resumed this morning.

But all of Ireland's men finished and Ireland were lying in the top four when play was suspended.

Shaw (22), from Lurgan, single-putted the first seven greens and took only 22 putts in all.

• IRISH YOUTH International Rory McNamara of Headfort shot a three-under par 68 at Portarlington to take a two-shot lead over Brian Keenan of The Heath in the Leinster Youths Championship.

Brendan Walton of The Island and Kilkenny's Craig Martin are a shot back on level par 71.