Will Tiger Woods ever play professional golf again? Health update and icon's latest surgery

Hopes of Tiger Woods returning to golf took another huge hit after the 15-time major winner announced he has undergone more surgery. Since his horrific car crash in 2021, Woods has only competed in 11 events.

The 49-year-old, who was world No 1 for 281 consecutive weeks between June 2005 and October 2010, has now dropped to No. 2001 as a result of the time he has spent on the side-lines. Woods last competed in a competition in 2024, when hefailed to make the cut at the Open, after finishing his second round at 14-over-par

He was expected to take part in February's Genesis Invitational, but withdrew after the death of his mother.His chances of making a return to the fairway have taken another drastic hit as he announced a seventh surgery on his back.

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In a statement on the golf great's X channel, he said: "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 disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal. I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday. I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back."

It also added: "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.”

Woods surgery means it will likely be at least a year until he can consider returning to golf. Just before Christmas, the 82-time PGA Tour winner will turn 50. He was expected to play some sort of role in his TFL Golf Indoor League but this injury rules out any chance of him playing.

In March, he was making good progress on his fitness until he ruptured his Achilles tendon while training at home. The surgery on his back is his third major operation since 2023, having required surgery on his Achilles, a micro-decompression procedure in 2024 and further surgery on his ankle in 2023.

Injuries troubled Woods throughout his career but his body has not been the same since he broke his right leg and ankle in his single vehicle car crash in 2021, which saw him receive emergency surgery.

Putting his growing list of medical procedures to the side, one has to question whether his motivation is the same as a result of the battles with his body. He did make the cut in the 2024 Masters, breaking a record for the most consecutive cuts made at the tournament with 24.

However, he finished last out of those who did, finishing 16 over par, a whopping 27 strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler. Moreover, Woods has been seen on the course with his 16-year-old son Charlie.

The teenager is following in his father's footsteps by taking to the fairway and competing in various junior championships. The golf great has regularly been seen supporting his son on the course, including the recent US Junior Amateur Championship, which saw Charlie miss the cut at Brook Hollow Golf Club in July.

Woods did play with his son at the 2024 PNC Championship last December, in what was a return to golf, albeit not one on the PGA Tour. With his latest surgery and horrific record of injuries since 2021, Woods coming back to the latter feels like a pipe dream.

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