Tiger Woods on call for USA Ryder Cup team | Ryder Cup 2008

Tiger Woods has tried to quash talk that he will make a surprise visit to Valhalla this week to fire-up the US Ryder Cup team.

In a statement on his Web site, tigerwoods.com, Woods said: “I plan to watch the Ryder Cup this week, but I will not attend. U.S. captain Paul Azinger has my cell phone number, and he or any U.S. player can call me any time. If I can offer any assistance, I’m happy to help.

“I doubt I can do much, since I can’t play practice rounds and am not privy to their team chemistry. I also don’t know who is playing well, who is injured, and have no feel for how the course is playing. But I’ll be happy to offer my opinion. I wish the American team well and hope they can bring back the Cup.”

Woods is still recovering from knee surgery after his U.S. Open victory in June. In his statement, Woods said that his rehabilitation is going well, but he does not know when he will return to competitive golf. He still has not swung a golf club and said if he did “you would see some of the worst shots you’ve ever seen.”

“Although I won’t be able to swing a club until early next year, my left knee is getting stronger and the doctors are pleased with my progress,” Woods said. “I just can’t rotate on my leg and I still don’t know what my first event will be in 2009.”

After his season-ending surgery, Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg said, “There will be debate whether he rushed back for the U.S. Open. But I don’t think there will be any debate that he rushes back from his next surgery. He won’t need to. Augusta is in April. And if things go according to plan, he’ll be able to play an event or two or three.”

On Tuesday, Woods didn’t say if he plans to return for the Masters in 2009, but he left no doubt that he intends to return to his pre-injury level of play.