In early February 2026, Tiger Woods announced that his return to professional golf would not be imminent, almost four months following his seventh back surgery in October 2025. Despite his Jupiter Links team securing its first TGL victory of the year, the 50-year-old golf icon, who underwent a disc replacement surgery due to a collapsed disc and compromised spinal canal, ruled out his participation in competitive games for an indefinite period.
On the 10th of October, 2025, Woods had a lumbar disc replacement procedure to resolve severe problems causing him considerable pain and limiting his movement.
Woods shared the news through a statement on social media platform X, revealing that recent medical checks had detected severe problems with his lower spine. The scans showed a collapsed disc at L4/5, disc fragments, and a compromised spinal canal, leading him to choose lumbar disc replacement surgery.
“I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back,” Woods stated in his announcement.
Performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, New York, this surgery was Woods’ third significant procedure since 2024. It followed a microdecompression operation in September 2024 and Achilles tendon repair in March 2025.
Woods first started experiencing back issues in 2014 with his initial microdiscectomy for a pinched nerve. A spinal fusion in 2017 paved the way for his triumphant return at the 2019 Masters Tournament—his 15th major championship and fifth green jacket.
A severe car crash in February 2021 that led to critical injuries to his right leg and ankle limited the 15-time major champion to only 11 competitive starts on the PGA Tour. The crash resulted in compound fractures that necessitated emergency surgery.
In 2024, Woods completed a full major championship schedule for the first time in half a decade, finishing last among weekend qualifiers at the Masters and missing the cut at the other three major tournaments. His last official PGA Tour appearance was at The Open Championship at Royal Troon in July 2024.
The 2025 season was further disrupted when his mother, Kultida Woods, passed away in February. Following her death, he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational, having referred to her as his most significant fan and supporter.
Since The Open in July 2024, Woods’ only competitive games have been alongside his 16-year-old son, Charlie Woods, at the PNC Championship in December 2024, where he could use a golf cart, and TGL matches for Jupiter Links GC. This indoor golf league, co-founded by Woods, offered him some competition while managing his physical constraints.
During the Hero World Challenge on December 7, 2025, which he hosts in the Bahamas, Woods provided his first public comments since the October surgery. Although Hideki Matsuyama won the tournament title in a playoff, Woods’ recovery update drew the most attention. He stated that his recovery was slower than initially expected, with doctors previously restricting his movements to allow proper disc healing. Woods had only recently been cleared to start chipping and putting.
In February 2026, during Jupiter Links GC’s first TGL victory of the season against Atlanta Drive GC, Woods gave an update on his recovery timeline. When questioned about returning to competitive golf, Woods replied, “Playing here? I don’t know. I like watching these guys. As far as competitive golf, it’s still some time.”
Despite being part of the Jupiter Links team, Woods ruled himself out of participating in TGL this season. His extended absence from competitive golf has pushed his world ranking to a record low of 2,590th. If he doesn’t compete in an OWGR-accredited event before July 2026, coinciding with the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, Woods risks becoming officially unranked.
John Daly, a fellow professional, expressed positivity about Woods’ potential on the senior tour in late December 2025. Speaking to Hard Rock Bet, the two-time major champion stated that Woods “only needs to be about 75% healthy to pretty much kick everybody’s a**” on the PGA Tour Champions, which Woods became eligible for upon turning 50. However, Woods has not committed to debuting on the Champions Tour, stating in December that he is “a ways away from that part of it and that type of decision, that type of commitment level.”
Woods has now been approved for strength work and rotational exercises, vital components of swing mechanics that were previously restricted. However, he has not committed to a return date.
