Tiger Woods undergoes back surgery to replace disc, no timeline for return

• The surgery was performed to address a collapsed disc, disc fragments, and a compromised spinal canal.
• The 49-year-old golfer has not provided a timeline for his recovery or return to the sport.

Tiger Woods’ major health issues continue with the 15-time major champion having disc replacement surgery Oct. 10.

Woods, the Jupiter Island resident, announced on social media he had a collapsed disc in his L4 and L5 lumbar spine, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal.

“I opted to have my disc replaced (Friday), and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back,” Woods wrote.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi and his team at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Woods has been recovering from surgery in March to repair a ruptured left Achilles. He underwent a minimally invasive tendon repair procedure March 8 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach.

Woods gave no timeline for his recovery or return to the course.

Tiger Woods’ back surgery leaves participation in second TGL season in doubt

The procedure leaves in doubt Woods’ availability for part of, if not all of, the second season of TGL, the high-tech indoor golf league held in Palm Beach Gardens created by Woods and Rory McIlroy.

TGL’s season starts Dec. 28. Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club’s first match is Jan. 13.

Also in December is the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, in which Woods is the host; and the PNC Championship in Orlando, where he plays with son, Charlie. His name was not on the intial player list for the Hero World Challenge that was released last week.

Woods, 49, has not played an official PGA Tour event since the 2024 British Open, where he missed the cut. He played five official events in 2024, finishing one, the Masters. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and British Open and withdrew from the Genesis Invitational after one round.

Woods’ returned to competitive golf in December at the PNC Championship after having back surgery in September. Tiger and Charlie lost in a playoff to Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason. Charlie Woods is a junior on the Benjamin School golf team.

Woods’ back issues started in 2014, when he had the first of seven back surgeries. In February 2021, he was in a single-car accident that resulted in major injuries to his right leg and ankle, which he said almost led to having his leg amputated.

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.