Tiger Woods has announced a temporary halt to his golf career following a recent back surgery he underwent in October. This marks his seventh back surgery and the third major operation in the last two years, including past surgeries on his Achilles tendon and ankle.
Despite his significant achievements over the years, including winning the Masters in 2019 after an 11-year gap, Woods has been struggling with injuries, hindering his competitive performance. He recently hosted his annual Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas but acknowledged the long road to recovery ahead before he can return to professional play.
While joking about playing numerous events, Woods emphasized the importance of focusing on his rehabilitation first before determining his future schedule and level of commitment to the game. He mentioned that he has only recently received clearance to resume chipping and putting after a six-week recovery period following the disc replacement surgery.
A key motivation for Woods could be setting a new PGA record with one more victory, which would surpass the current record of 82 tournament wins shared with golf legend Sam Snead. Notah Begay III, a close friend of Woods, highlighted that one of the challenges in Woods’ comeback journey is simply being able to walk around the golf course post-surgeries.