Tiger Woods undergoes sixth back surgery after injury-plagued 2024 season, rules out golf retirement

Golf legend Tiger Woods has announced his latest injury after revealing he has undergone back surgery.

This is the sixth back operation of the 48-year-old American’s career, who is once again suffering from a season marked by injuries.

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The 15-time major winner announced in July that he would take a five-month break after missing the cut at The Open Championship.

He also failed to qualify for the US Open and the PGA Championship, but played all four rounds of the Masters.

For Woods, he is now set to step away from the game for a period of time to rest and recover after suffering back spasms in 2024.

Although he insisted he was not thinking about retirement.

A statement from Woods’ X account read: “Earlier this morning, Tiger underwent lumbar spine microdecompression surgery for nerve compression in his lower back.

“Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi of West Palm Beach Hospital for Special Surgery performed the surgery and deemed it a success.”

Woods then shared his thoughts on the procedure, where he vowed he was already preparing to return to the course.

He said: “The operation went well and I hope it will help relieve the back spasms and pain I have been experiencing for most of the 2024 season.

“I look forward to getting started on this rehabilitation and getting ready to return to normal activities of life, including golf.”

As things stand, it is uncertain whether he will be fit in time to compete in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, an event he is organising.

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And he could also miss the PNC Championship in December, where he would play alongside his son Charlie.

Woods’ season began at the Genesis Invitational in February, where he was forced to withdraw due to illness in the second round.

It’s been a difficult few years for Woods since his near-fatal car accident in February 2021.

He nearly lost his right leg in the incident, before returning to the course less than a year later.

Woods then underwent subtalar fusion surgery on his right foot, which saw him sidelined for most of the 2023 PGA Tour season.

And this year’s setbacks have seen him play just five times on the PGA Tour in 2024.