Woods gave an update on his latest comeback attempt from injury during a news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 2 that covered a wide range of topics ahead of the PGA Tour’s Hero World Challenge in The Bahamas, an annual event in which he serves as host. But the 15-time major winner put no timeline on a return to competitive golf after undergoing back surgery about six weeks ago.
‘Not as fast as I’d like it to be,’ Woods said about his recovery, according to Golfweek.
He is, however, making progress. Woods noted he was cleared by his doctor to begin chipping and putting last week and he is beginning to ramp up work in the gym. But Woods confirmed Tuesday he won’t be ready in time to play with his son, Charlie, in the PNC Championship or when the second season of TGL matches begin later this month.
Woods hasn’t competed on the PGA Tour since the 2024 Open Championship and this will be the second-consecutive year in which he won’t play in the Hero World Challenge. Woods was last scheduled to play in the Genesis Invitational in February 2025, but withdrew from the field before the tournament started after his mother died. He then ruptured his Achilles heel in March while training and practicing at home.
Woods said he hopes to participate at some point during the TGL season, which runs through March, and plans to attend all of the matches for the screen-golf league.
‘It’s been a tough year,’ Woods acknowledged, but he called the back surgery, “a good thing to do, something that needed to happen.’
Woods, who also shed some light on his work helping to revamp the PGA Tour schedule and the potential to be the U.S. team captain at the 2027 Ryder Cup, is also eligible to compete on the PGA Champions Tour for the first time in 2026. He turns 50 years old on Dec. 30.
Woods would not, however, commit to if or how much he might play on the senior circuit, where the use of a cart and only 54 holes at most events could be enticing to him. His goals are more straightforward right now.
‘I’d like to come back to just playing golf again,’ Woods said.
