Tiger Woods undergoes yet MORE back surgery

Fans of Tiger Woods, we’ve got some bad news for you.

The 15-time major champion has been forced to have yet more back surgery.

A statement shared on the former world No.1’s social media channels on Friday evening confirmed the news.

It read: “Earlier this morning, Tiger underwent microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back.

“Dr Sheeraz Qureshi of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach performed the surgery and deemed it to be successful.”

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Woods himself added: “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.

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

The statement gave no indication of a timetable for his returning to action.

For those keeping count, this is Woods’ SIXTH back surgery in the last ten years.

In 2014, he had a procedure to deal with a pinched nerve. The following year, he had two microdiscectomy surgeries followed by a third procedure a month later.

In April 2017, he had a spinal fusion and, in January 2021, was forced to have a further microdiscectomy to remove a bone fragment that was pinching a nerve.

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Woods has played only five times – completing just 11 rounds – on the PGA Tour this year.

He hasn’t hit a competitive ball since the Open at Royal Troon in July, where he confirmed that his next intended start would be the Hero World Challenge that he hosts in the Bahamas in December.

Speaking to reporters in Ayrshire, he said: “I’d like to have played more [this year] but I just wanted to make sure I was able to play the major championships this year. I got a lot of time off to get better, to be better physically, which has been the case all year.

“I’ve gotten better, even though my results really haven’t shown it, but physically I’ve gotten better, which is great.

“I just need to keep progressing like that and then eventually start playing more competitively and start getting into kind of the competitive flow again.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor