During an interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt on Tuesday, golf legend Tiger Woods provided an update on his fitness after he underwent surgery last year and when he’ll resume competing.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Woods, 50, underwent his 7th back surgery in October 2025 after the highly decorated golfer experienced “pain and lack of mobility” in that area.
The 15-time major winner, in Tuesday’s interview, disclosed that he has since received clearance to hit certain clubs.
“I’ve been cleared to hit, basically, hit short irons and mid irons,” Woods, 50, said, per the New York Post. “I haven’t gone any beyond that.”
Woods also touched on how he’s going to prepare himself when it’s time for him return to playing competitive golf and some adjustments that could be made.
“Whenever that time comes, when I start hitting drivers, and I start playing at home, and start doing all the different things, I will have been away from the game for a year and a half, so I’m gonna be pretty rusty,” Woods said.
“And so, there’s a lot that goes into it,” he continued. “My prep is gonna have to be a little bit different from my other procedures I’ve had in the past. I’ve had to stay a lot more patient with myself. I get sore faster, I guess, because I’m 50. And that happens.”
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Following his surgery, Woods shared the update on his health in a statement on X, although he did not specify the duration of his recovery or when he would return to the golf course.
“On Friday, Tiger underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in his L4/5 Lumbar spine for lower back symptoms,” the October 11 statement said. “The surgery was deemed successful and performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi and his team at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.”
Woods, in the statement, also said that he “consulted with Doctors and Surgeons to have tests taken” after “experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back.”
“The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal,” he added. “I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”
Woods’ first back surgery was in April 2014, and he later underwent a lower back fusion in 2017, per The Associated Press. He ultimately returned to the golf course and emerged victorious at the Tour Championship in 2018. Woods then went ahead to win the 2019 Masters Tournament, which marked his 15th major and fifth green jacket.
Besides the back surgeries, Woods has also suffered other health setbacks. In February 2021, he was involved in a car crash that led to him sustaining serious injuries to his right leg and ankle. The 50-year-old said he could have gone under the knife for an amputation because of the severity of his injuries.
