Tiger Woods Undergoes Major Spine Surgery to Restore His Mobility

Legendary golfer Tiger Woods has announced that he underwent another back surgery. The 49-year-old revealed that he recently had a lumbar disc replacement to treat ongoing pain and mobility issues that had kept him sidelined for much of the year.

Pain and Lack of Mobility Necessitated Surgery

This latest operation marks Woods’ seventh back surgery since 2014 — and his second in just over a year. The former World No. 1 underwent a major spinal fusion in 2017, which initially provided relief and led to one of sport’s greatest comebacks when he won the 2019 Masters. However, Woods has continued to struggle with injuries in subsequent years.

His latest procedure was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi and his team. The surgery replaced a collapsed disc in Woods’ lower spine after scans revealed a compromised spinal canal and fragments from the damaged disc. Woods described the decision to undergo surgery as one made for his “long-term health,” noting that normal movement had become increasingly difficult.

“After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with Doctor and Surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disk in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal. I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back. On Friday, Tiger underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in his L4/5 Lumbar spine for lower back symptoms. The surgery was deemed successful,” Woods said in a post on X.

Woods Speculated Return In Major Doubt

Woods has already been out of action since early this year after rupturing his left Achilles tendon, which required surgery. Analysts believed Tiger Woods would return before the end of the year, and many speculated he could secure one of the three exemption spots for the 2025 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas after officials released the full field. Woods also missed the 2024 Hero World Challenge after withdrawing to focus on recovering from his sixth back surgery.

The 49-year-old hasn’t given a timeline for his recovery or hinted at when he might return to the course. The Grand Slam winner has not made a PGA TOUR start since his last appearance at The Open Championship in 2023 at Royal Troon. Woods, who turns 50 in December, played in the 2024 PNC Championship alongside his son but withdrew from the 2025 Genesis Invitational following the death of his mother a week earlier.