Woods Almost Ready to Begin Practicing Again

Tiger Woods is progressing well after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday. So well that he hasn't needed crutches; is expected to practice putting before the end of the week; and is hosting Tiger Jam XI on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort Events Center in Las Vegas, where rock legends Van Halen will perform.

"The knee is coming along very well," Woods said Friday. "I've been through this before and understand the rehabilitation process. I'm just taking it slow and steady."

Woods, coming off a second-place finish at the Masters, hopes to start chipping next week, then will progress to short wedge shots. If all goes well, he could return to competition on the PGA Tour in about six weeks. The Memorial Tournament, where Woods has won three times and missed only once (2006) in his 11 full seasons as a professional, begins May 29. The U.S. Open at Torrey Pines begins two weeks after that, on June 12.

"We'll just see how it goes," he said.

Woods has seen Van Halen in concert twice this year and is looking forward to a fun evening. Last year, a huge crowd came to watch Bon Jovi. The event, coupled with live and silent auctions, raised $1 million for the Tiger Woods Foundation and Las Vegas charities.

--Mark Soltau