Tiger Woods had a telling reaction when asked about his career prospects as the 15-time major champion tries to return from another lengthy injury break
17:56 ET, 25 Oct 2025Updated 17:57 ET, 25 Oct 2025
Tiger Woods has made a telling admission about his declining golf game(Image: Tim Heitman, Getty Images North America)
Tiger Woods has been candid about his declining performance in the sport due to a series of injuries that could potentially end his illustrious career. It comes as Woods and Rory McIlroy are making three changes for the new TGL season.
The 15-time major champion has been plagued by injuries in recent years. He recently underwent back surgery, following a ruptured Achilles tendon, and hasn’t participated in tournament golf since the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
These health issues have added to the physical toll Woods has endured both on and off the golf course over the years, with a high-speed car crash in 2021 causing significant damage. Following his most recent surgery, fans, commentators, and fellow players alike are concerned that his iconic career may be coming to an end.
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When Woods has managed to compete alongside the world’s top golfers, he’s been a mere shadow of the unstoppable force he once was.
During his appearances at the 2024 majors, he displayed brief moments of his former brilliance, but his limited mobility significantly affected his ability to play four rounds in as many days.
This week, TGL, his tech-powered indoor golf league, published a rare interview with Woods to promote its second season, which is set to start without him in December. The timing of when the interview took place remains unclear, but it was most likely filmed prior to Woods’ most recent surgical procedure.
Woods has been sidelined with injuries since the 2024 Open Championship(Image: PA)
He appeared cheerful as he answered a rapid-fire round of questions, including one that asked, “If your golf ball could speak, what would it say?”
While it was a lighthearted question meant for entertainment, Woods’ answer was surprisingly telling. “Now?” he responded. “It would probably start laughing.”
Sad reality
Woods was choosing humor over sadness regarding his declining performance.
After all, he can find comfort in knowing he has accomplished everything imaginable in the sport. He also gets to enjoy watching his gifted son, Charlie, progress on the golf course.
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A person close to Woods recently maintained the former world No. 1 is “not in denial” about the bleak prospects for his ability to compete again, but they emphasized that he wants to exhaust every option to give himself an opportunity.
“He’s not stupid,” the source revealed to the Daily Mail.
“He won’t retire but he’s slowing down. 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’s not in denial, but he wants to push himself until there’s nothing more he can do. It depends on his recovery if he’s there yet or not. Seems pretty likely that he is.”
