What happened to Tiger Woods? Health struggles explored as golfer returns after 14 months

Professional golfer Tiger Woods seems to be back in the saddle. On September 9, The U.S. Sun published a story, writing that Woods has returned to sport after 14 months following an injury. The Instagram account of TGR Live posted a video on September 8, in which the sportsman could be seen swinging his golf at The Nexus Cup. The last time he went to a tournament was in July 2024 at the Open Championship.

The reason behind his absence for a major part of this year is reported to be an injury to his Achilles tendon. His tendon was ruptured, and he eventually had to go through surgery in March 2025. At the time, Tiger Woods shared a statement:

“As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured. The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery. I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab, thank you for all the support.”

However, this wasn’t the first time he suffered a health issue. In September 2024, as reported by CNN, he had a spinal fusion done, and the year before that, he had an ankle surgery.

Meanwhile, social media users appeared delighted to see Tiger Woods back on the golf course. One Instagram user (@jaffabell) commented:

“Finally! The Cat returns.”

Another online commentator (@j_michael1287) wrote:

“I’m just happy Tiger looks healthy enough to play golf in general.”

A third user (@jasons_supra) noted:

“If you all are not privy to Tiger history, this video is a comeback announcement.”

A look into Tiger Woods’s past health struggles

ESPN has a report detailing the health issues that Woods faced during his career. For instance, in 2017, he had to undergo back surgery for the third time. At the time, Tiger Woods said he was hopeful about recovering, after which he would be able to get back to his normal life. In 2015, he had his second back procedure, a microdiscectomy surgery.

The first time he had a back surgery was in 2014, before which he missed several tours. In April 2014, he had his first microdiscectomy surgery, following which he participated in the Quicken Loans National. The same year and before the surgery, he missed the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to back aches.

In 2012, he was unable to participate in the last round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship as he had an injury in his Achilles tendon. Two years before that, he had a neck injury, and the MRI revealed that it was due to an inflamed facet joint.

Tiger Woods had reconstructive surgery to have his damaged ACL repaired in 2008. The same year, he also endured a double stress fracture. In April 2008, he had an arthroscopic knee surgery. Two years before that, the golfer injured his left shoulder muscle but still went ahead with the World Golf Championships-American Express.

In 2002, Tiger Woods had to undergo a procedure on his left knee for cyst removal. However, he still participated in the Buick Invitational and also won.

Trending

Also read: Billy Porter's health struggles explored as Broadway star exits Cabaret amid sepsis diagnosis

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback