Tiger Woods Has Surgery to Alleviate Back Spasms and Pain

Tiger Woods underwent another surgery on his lower back on Friday morning, a procedure he hopes will alleviate the spasms he has faced this year.

This marks the sixth surgery on his lower back within a decade.

In a statement shared on social media, Woods clarified that the operation was a microdecompression surgery on his lumbar spine aimed at addressing nerve impingement in the lower back. This particular procedure is also known as microdiscectomy, with a recovery period estimated to be between eight to twelve weeks.

Woods is not expected to play competitively until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, scheduled for December 5-8, along with the PNC Championship where he will participate with his son, Charlie, on December 21-22 in Orlando, Florida.

“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 shared.

Throughout 2024, Woods competed in only five tournaments, which included the four major championships and the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February, a tournament he hosts. Unfortunately, he could only last through 24 holes at Riviera due to an illness.

At Riviera, he specifically mentioned experiencing back spasms while discussing a shank he hit on the 18th hole during the opening round. He noted that the spasms had been troubling him, “not during competition, but at home.”

When questioned about the source of the spasms, Woods tersely replied, “Because my back is fused.”

Woods’ journey includes a history of surgeries on his back, with his first microdiscectomy occurring in April 2014. He faced two additional surgeries the next year, followed by his lower back fusion in 2017. Another microdiscectomy took place in December 2020 to remove a pressurized disk fragment.

Compounding his injuries, Woods was involved in a serious car crash two months later in Los Angeles, which resulted in shattered bones in his right leg and ankle, adding to his ongoing challenges while attempting to maintain a limited playing schedule.

Mark Steinberg, Woods’ manager at Excel Sports, was traveling on Friday and was unavailable for comment immediately following the surgery.

“I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf,” Woods expressed in his statement.

This season, Woods made the cut in only one tournament, which was at the Masters, setting a remarkable record by achieving his 24th consecutive cut at Augusta National. It was noteworthy that this year also marked the first instance since 2019 that he participated in all four major championships—his last memorable appearance being in 2019 when he claimed his 15th career major title at the Masters.

Since missing the cut at the Open Championship in July, Woods has been absent from competitive play. His performance throughout the majors in 2024 marked a difficult trend, as he was unable to shoot under par in any round.

All eyes are now on Woods as he begins this new chapter of his recovery and rehabilitation, hopeful for a return to the course.