15-time Major champion Tiger Woods has announced he recently underwent disc-replacement surgery in his back.
In a bid to fix the issue efficiently, Woods went under the knife on Friday morning in New York.
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Hours after his procedure, the 82-time PGA Tour winner released a statement which read: “After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with Doctor and Surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disk in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal.
“I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back. TW.”
Underneath Woods’ words, the statement finished by saying: “On Friday, Tiger underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in his L4/5 Lumbar spine for lower back symptoms.
“The surgery was deemed successful and performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi and his team at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.”
Responding to Woods’ message on X, six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson was among those who wished the Californian-born pro well in his recovery.
Mickelson wrote: “I’m sorry to hear this and I wish him the best for a speedy recovery.”
I’m sorry to hear this and I wish him the best for a speedy recovery. https://t.co/5xmTcAVJL7October 11, 2025
Arguably the greatest golfer of all time did not set a public timetable in terms of any potential comeback, although, the chances of him making a competitive start in 2025 appear unlikely at this stage.
He posted a video of himself hitting golf balls on the range at the Nexus Cup – an amateur event Woods hosts in lower Manhattan – back on September 9, boosting hope that the 49-year-old could be trending towards a semi-competitive return in the winter.
However, surgery since then and the fact that Woods was not among the first 17 confirmed players for this year’s Hero World Challenge suggests fans may have to wait until at least 2026 for the iconic golfer to appear once more.
Woods’ latest stint on the surgeon’s table was his third inside the past 13 months, following a microdecompression operation on a disc in his back during September 2024 and surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon earlier this year.
In between treatments, Woods – who has not teed it up on the PGA Tour since the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon – participated in TGL at the start of this year and played alongside his son Charlie in the PNC Championship during December 2024.
Yet, whether Woods – who turns 50 in a couple of months – is able to repeat those experiences a little more than eight weeks from now remains to be seen.
