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Tiger Woods The chase for the elusive 16th major championship may one day resume, but it remains unclear when that will actually happen.
Woods' 15 major victories rank second on the all-time list of major tournament wins, behind only Jack Nicklaus. But Woods' legendary career was derailed by a long list of injuries and subsequent surgeries. Back problems have plagued the golf icon in recent years. Earlier this fall, Woods completed the seventh procedure to address his back.
In his first public comments since the procedure, Woods shared his hope for a comeback. The five-time Masters Tournament winner also cautioned that there is no timetable for a potential return.
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Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club waves to fans as he is introduced at the start of a TMRW Golf League match against Boston Common Golf on January 27, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
“I just started this process,” Woods said at the Hero World Challenge pre-tournament press conference. “Replacing a disk takes time. It’s longer—not as long as a merger, thank God, but it will take time.”
Woods' back problems first appeared in 2014. The October surgery was Woods' second back procedure in about 12 months.
In addition to back problems, Woods also tore his Achilles tendon earlier this year.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his playing future, Woods said he was recently cleared to play chip and putt. The next step in his recovery is regaining his strength.
Tiger Woods hits his shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on May 11, 2018 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Woods, 49, will be eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions starting in 2026. Tournaments on this route consist of three rounds and allow the use of a golf cart.
“I haven’t really gone into detail about what the Championship Tour schedule looks like other than a few tournaments,” Woods said.
Woods is not expected to be ready to compete when TGL season you.
Tiger Woods plays the second hole during a practice round before the start of the 2018 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 2, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Woods said he takes a daily approach.
“I’m just looking forward to getting back to playing again. Let me do that and then I’ll kind of figure out what the schedule will be,” Woods said. “I am very far from this part, from this decision, from this level of commitment. Unfortunately, I have been through this rehab process before. It's just step by step. Once I get a feel for the training, the blast, the play, the recovery process, then I can evaluate where I'll play and how much I'll play.”
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Woods has not played competitive golf since July. Open Championship. The only time he qualified this season was in April at the Masters. He missed out on the season's three remaining major tournaments.
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