Tiger Woods Undergoes Seventh Back Surgery, Jeopardizing Return to PGA Tour
Tiger Woods, the 15-time major champion, announced Tuesday he underwent a disc replacement surgery to address ongoing back pain, further delaying his anticipated return to professional golf. The 49-year-old shared the news via social media, citing a lack of mobility as the primary reason for the procedure.
This latest surgery marks Woods’ seventh back procedure in the past decade and casts significant doubt on his ability to compete at the highest level in the near future. The procedure, performed by Dr. sheeraz Qureshi, aims to alleviate pain and restore mobility, but recovery timelines for disc replacement surgeries can be extensive, perhaps impacting his participation in upcoming events. Woods had been sidelined as missing the cut at The Open in July 2024.
“After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with doctors and surgeons to have tests taken,” Woods said in a statement.”I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”
The surgery comes after a challenging period for Woods, who underwent surgery in march to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon sustained during training. That injury forced him to withdraw from consideration for the Masters Tournament. Prior to the achilles injury, Woods had already been playing a limited schedule following severe injuries sustained in a car accident in February 2021 and the recent passing of his mother, which led to his withdrawal from the Genesis Invitational. He was also absent from the initial player list for the Hero World Challenge, an event he hosts in December.
