Tiger Woods announces successful completion of lumbar spine surgery
Tiger Woods announced Friday he underwent successful microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in his lower back.
Woods, 48, said he is preparing himself to “get back to normal life activities, including golf.”
“The surgery went smoothly, and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season,” Woods said in a statement. “I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.”
Woods underwent surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida, believed to be his sixth back procedure in the last decade, per Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated. He has continued to deal with complications from his near fatal car crash in 2021, in which he suffered open fractures to both his tibia and fibula bones.
Tiger Woods undergoes another back surgery ahead of 2025 season
The 15-time major champion competed in just five events this season for a total of 11 rounds. He withdrew from the second round of the Genesis Invitational in February after suffering from flu-like symptoms. Woods made the cut and finished 60th at the Masters, and then missed the cut in the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship.
Woods said after his last round at Royal Troon in July that he didn’t plan on playing any competitive golf again during the calendar year until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas Dec. 5-8. The event is hosted by Woods and benefits his foundation. Woods was also hoping to play in the PNC Championship in Orlando alongside his son, Charlie, Dec. 21-22.
“I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it,” Woods said in July. “Hopefully just come back for what is our fifth major, the father/son, so looking forward to it.”