Golf-Rehabilitating Tiger rules out swinging a club until 2009

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has said he will be unable to swing a golf club until next year as he recovers from reconstructive knee surgery.

The American world number one decided to have surgery on his left knee for a fourth time after winning the U.S. Open in mid-June, ending his 2008 PGA Tour campaign.

"As far as swinging a club, that's not going to happen until next year," Woods said in his monthly newsletter on Tuesday. "I just don't have a choice.

"We simply don't know what type of swelling there would be or if there would be any residual effects the next day once you start wheeling and dealing on the knee. Everyone's body reacts differently. I could putt right now but I'm not going to do it."

Woods, a winner of 14 major titles, underwent an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction of his left knee. He had torn his knee ligament after last year's British Open at Carnoustie while running and took 10 weeks off at the end of the 2007 season.

He took a further two months off after having arthroscopic surgery two days after the Masters in April and did not play competitively until the June 12-15 U.S. Open.

"I don't know what the doctors are going to tell me about playing golf down the road," the 32-year-old added. "I'm taking it day-to-day, week-to-week. All I'm doing every day is looking forward to my next day."