Tiger Woods hits new low in world rankings after latest injury admission

Tiger Woods has been out of action since undergoing back surgery and has been sliding down the world rankings as a result of his absenceTiger Woods remains sidelined

Tiger Woods’ future continues to be the subject of widespread speculation following the 15-time major champion’s seventh back surgery, and he now faces a historic low in the world rankings.

Woods revealed he had undergone the procedure this month, declaring: “I already know I made a good decision for my health” with a close friend outlining his ambitions before he eventually calls time on his career.

He shared news of his most recent back injury on social media but medical specialists have warned Woods that he faces a real uphill battle ro return to the level where he is able to compete at major tournaments.

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He explained: “After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with Doctors and Surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disk in my L4/5, disk fragments and a compromised spinal canal. I opted to have my disk replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”

During his ongoing injury absence, Woods has continued to slide down the world rankings and is now positioned below the world’s top 2000 golfers, sitting at 2,048, reports the Mirror US.

Woods was anticipated to participate in the season opener of the TGL in January.

He informed his teammates and fans that he would be present on January 13, but never guaranteed he would be swinging a club.

He is scheduled to return to the course next year, and will aim to make a push for his sixth Masters title and Green Jacket.

However, the latest drop represents a new low, considering he held the world No. 1 position for 683 weeks of his career.

The longest uninterrupted period he maintained the world No. 1 ranking was 281 weeks.

Tiger Woods, who last held the world No. 1 ranking in May 2014, could potentially fall out of the ranking system entirely if he doesn’t compete before the 2026 Masters, given that the world ranking system operates on a two-year cycle.

Woods drops to below 2000 in world rankings (Image: Getty Images)

A close friend of Woods’ shared with the Daily Mail: “He’s not stupid. He knows things are winding down, and he’s coming to terms with it. He’s turning 50 this year.

“He won’t retire but he’s slowing down,” the insider elaborated. “He wants to do at least one more major and to perform well in it. He wants to end the career with a bang, not a whimper. But right now, we’ll have to see.

“He wants to push himself until there’s nothing more he can do,” said the friend of Woods. “It depends on his recovery if he’s there yet or not. Seems pretty likely that he is.”