DUBLIN, Ohio – Tiger Woods won Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament a record five times, but Nicklaus said he doesn’t expect Woods to chase a sixth title at Muirfield Village Golf Club ever again.
“I doubt it,” Nicklaus said on Tuesday. “I don’t think that he’ll be able to walk this place. I’d love to have him playing again.”
Woods, 49, had his latest surgery in March after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while training and practice at home. In September, Woods underwent microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back.
Woods last competed in a Tour event when he missed the cut at the British Open at Royal Troon in Scotland in July. In February, he had entered the field for the Genesis Invitational but withdrew ahead of the signature event, saying he wasn’t ready to compete after the recent death of his mother.
Woods isn’t the only player to deal with an Achilles injury recently. Last February, two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer tore his left Achilles playing pickleball. Three months after the surgery, he returned to PGA Tour Champions but was allowed to use a golf cart, and in December teamed with his son, Jason, to beat Woods and son Charlie at the PNC Championship in a playoff. Nicklaus was more optimistic about Tiger’s chances to play next year on the Champions Tour once he turns 50 in December.
“When he gets in a cart, he’ll tear it up, absolutely,” Nicklaus said. “If he plays, he’ll win. He’ll win better than 50 percent of the tournaments he plays in, I think. He’s a good player. You all know how good a player he is, but I mean, his work ethic is so good. He likes to work at it. He loves it.”
Woods did play in four TGL matches this season for his team, Jupiter Links, most recently on March 4, a week before undergoing surgery. So far, he has been silent about his rehab and recovery and hasn’t given any indication when he will play next.
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