Tiger Woods Discusses Slow Recovery from Disc Surgery

Golf legend Tiger Woods offered a candid update on his health Tuesday, revealing that his recovery from a recent back surgery has been a slow and deliberate process. Speaking to reporters from the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods confirmed he is not close to a return to competitive golf but has taken the first small steps in his rehabilitation.

Tiger Woods: A “Slow” but Calculated Process

Woods, who underwent surgery on October 10th to replace a disc in his lower back, described the initial phase of his recovery as restrictive. He emphasized the need for patience to allow the new disc to set properly.

“It’s been slow,” Woods stated. “Not able to do much on a disk replacement to let it set; can’t really do much.”

Only recently has he received clearance to ramp up his activity. “Now, we got the OK to start cranking up a little bit in the gym, started strengthening and started doing a little bit more of the rotational component that I haven’t been able to do,” he explained. This progress has allowed him to resume light golf activities, noting he only started chipping and putting last week.

No Timetable for a Return to the Tour

When asked about a potential return to the PGA Tour or his plans for the upcoming season, Woods remained noncommittal. Having navigated numerous rehabilitation processes throughout his career, he understands the step-by-step nature of a comeback.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been through this rehab process before,” Woods said. “It’s just step by step. Once I get a feel for practicing, exploding, playing, the recovery process, then I can assess where I’m going to play and how much I’ll play.”

The 15-time major champion, who will turn 50 at the end of December, is simply focused on the immediate goal of getting back on the course. “I’d like to come back to just playing golf again,” he shared. “I haven’t played golf in a long time. It’s been a tough year.”

Missing Upcoming Events

Due to the recovery timeline, Woods will not be competing in the Hero World Challenge, a tournament he hosts. He will also miss the upcoming PNC Championship, where he has famously competed alongside his son, Charlie.

The golf world will continue to wait for further updates, but for now, Woods’ message is one of patience and perseverance. His immediate passion is not centered on a specific tournament or schedule, but simply on returning to the game he loves.