Watch Tiger Woods hit golf balls in public for the first time since horror car crash

Tiger Woods has sparked chatter he will attempt yet another comeback to the sport after the golf legend was spotted hitting balls for the first time in public in months. 

The 15-time major champion got in some driving range work at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey on 15 September. 

Woods, 50, was there for a two-day event, the NEXUS Cup, which raises money for his foundation.

The golf icon traditionally hosts a clinic but it was unclear if Woods was going to hit balls this year. 

Woods underwent the seventh back surgery of his career last October after suffering pain and mobility issues. 

But video has surfaced of the 82-time PGA Tour winner taking full swings with what appears to be a mid-iron. 

Take a look at the video here:

It represents the first time Woods has been spotted hitting balls in public in months. 

Woods stepped away from the sport after he was involved in a rollover car crash near his Florida home on 27 March. 

He was charged with driving under the influence, damage to property and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

Woods agreed not to contest the charges as part of a plea deal with prosecutors 

He accepted a five-year suspension of his driving licence and agreed to pay a $1000 (£742) fine. 

Nobody was injured in the crash, though Woods had to crawl through the passenger door to free himself. 

He clipped the rear of a truck towing a trailer. 

Police released body camera footage of the incident which showed Woods leaning on one knee calmly explaining what happened. 

"I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden, boom," said Woods. 

He also admitted he was distracted by changing the radio station. 

He passed a breathalyser test but declined to take a urinalysis screening for other drugs, Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said at the time.

Woods told officers he had not consumed alcohol that day. 

When asked about any prescription medication, he responded, "I take a few", adding he had done so earlier that morning.

Officers told Woods they suspected his "normal faculties" were impaired by an "unknown substance".

Authorities later reported finding two white pills in his pocket, identified as hydrocodone, an opioid commonly prescribed to treat pain.

Woods wrote on social media following the incident, "I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today.

"I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. 

"This is necessary in order for me to prioritise my wellbeing and work toward lasting recovery."

Woods completed a 90-day program in Switzerland, only briefly returning to the United States to support his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, after she revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Vanessa was present at Woods' court hearing on 2 September. 

Woods has not played a professional golf event since missing the cut at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon. 

He had been playing a limited schedule, anyway, after he suffered serious injuries to his right leg in another car crash in 2021. 

Woods did not rule out playing in the 2026 Masters before he was arrested. 

Although he wasn't injured, he decided not to play at Augusta National and also skipped the U.S. Open, Open and PGA Championship.

Woods has not revealed if and when he will return to the sport. 

In December, he is likely to participate in PNC Championship. 

Woods has played in the parent/child PGA Tour event alongside his teenage son, Charlie, on five occasions. 

The pair finished runner-up to John Daly and his son John Daly II in 2021. 

Woods is also eligible to compete on the over-50s PGA Tour Champions now, where golf carts are permitted in competition.