Woods has fifth back op

No timetable for the 45-year-old's return to action, he's set to be out for over two months

Tiger Woods playing at the PNC Championship in Orlando last December, when he made his last competitive appearance.
Tiger Woods playing at the PNC Championship in Orlando last December, when he made his last competitive appearance. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MIAMI • Tiger Woods has recently undergone microdiscectomy surgery to remove a pressurised disc fragment that was pinching a nerve, the 15-time Major winner's foundation said on Tuesday.

A posting on Woods' Twitter page said the 45-year-old would not play upcoming US PGA Tour events at Torrey Pines (Jan 28-31) or Riviera (Feb 18-21), but doctors expect him to fully recover.

"I look forward to begin training and am focused on getting back out on tour," Woods said in the statement, which did not reveal an exact date for the operation.

The American experienced discomfort after playing in last month's PNC Championship, a family exhibition event at Orlando, Florida, where he competed alongside son Charlie.

According to Kevin McGuire, section chief for the Centre for Pain and Spine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centre in New Hampshire, Woods probably had what is called "adjacent segment disease", which occurs when nearby discs deteriorate as they compensate for limitations at the fusion site.

"Professional athletes are different human beings, in my opinion, than the rest of us mortals," said McGuire, who was not involved in Woods' treatment.

"If the rest of us swung the golf club as many times as Tiger Woods did, most of us would get hurt or have back problems. So professional athletes tend to come back fast - or, do come back faster."

Woods still plans to handle hosting duties at the Genesis Invitational next month at Riviera for the PGA Tour event that benefits his charity foundation. But there was no timetable given for when he might return to PGA Tour play.

It marks the fifth round of back surgery for Woods, who had four since 2014, and his first since a spinal fusion in April 2017.

He said he had feared he might not even be able to have a normal life much less continue his golf career due to his severe back pain.

But after the spinal fusion and a layoff until his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December 2017, he made slow but steady progress in rebuilding his game.

In March 2018, Woods shared second place at the Valspar Championship, his best PGA Tour finish since 2013, then in August finished second to Brooks Koepka at the PGA Championship.

The following month, he won the season-ending Tour Championship and seven months later took the ultimate victory of his astounding comeback by winning the 2019 Masters.

At age 43, he was the second-oldest green jacket winner, three years younger than Jack Nicklaus when he won the 1986 Masters.

Woods had knee surgery four months later and made a triumphant return in October 2019, capturing the Zozo Championship in Japan for his 82nd US PGA Tour title, matching the mark held by Sam Snead.

He remains three Major victories shy of the record 18 won by Nicklaus.

Woods could miss more than two months of action, but he is hopeful he can return for the 85th Masters in April at Augusta National, according to Golf Digest.

The year's other Majors include the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in May, the US Open in June at Torrey Pines and the British Open in July at Royal St George's.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS, NYTIMES

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 21, 2021, with the headline Woods has fifth back op. Subscribe