Key Points
Tiger Woods arrived in the Bahamas to host the Hero World Challenge.
He’s cleared to chip and putt, but no timeline for full return.
Woods will miss this year’s PNC Championship and start of the TGL season.
Golf legend Tiger Woods arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday as he prepares to host the annual Hero World Challenge, which features 20 of the world’s top professional golfers.
With the event set to begin on Thursday, Woods held a press conference following his arrival. As expected, he was asked about his personal status after undergoing back surgery roughly six weeks ago, just months after rupturing his Achilles prior to the Masters Tournament last April.
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While Woods revealed that he has been cleared to begin chipping and putting, he shared some unfortunate news regarding his career status heading into the 2026 season.
Woods noted that his rehab isn’t progressing as quickly as he’d like. He confirmed that there will be no Team Woods in this year’s PNC Championship, as he won’t be healthy enough to compete alongside his son, Charlie. He also indicated that he won’t be ready for the start of the TGL season, though he hopes to return closer to its conclusion.
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Woods’ last competitive appearance came early in 2025 during the TGL season, while his most recent official PGA Tour event was The Open Championship in July 2024.
Now, at age 49, Woods has one clear goal: returning to the course and playing again. Whether that means participating only in major events or more regularly, he simply wants to compete once more.
Tiger Woods at the 2023 Hero World Challenge at Albany in the Bahamas.
© Danielle Parhizkaran / USA TODAY NETWORK© Danielle Parhizkaran / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I’m probably gonna play 25 events on both tours. That should probably cover most of the year, right?” Woods joked. “No, I’m just looking forward to… let me get back to playing again. I just want to really do that. I’m a ways away from that part of it… unfortunately I’ve been through this rehab process before… once I get a feel for it… then I can assess where I’m gonna play and how much I’m gonna play.”
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
