Tiger Woods has to cope with another health setback and will not participate in any golf tournaments at least for the first two months of the new year. He announced on social media on Tuesday afternoon, American time, that he had undergone back surgery for the fifth time. As he said in this short message, a microdissectomy, a microscopically assisted procedure through a small skin incision on the back, removed parts of a disc that was pressing on a nerve and causing him pain.
These complaints had plagued him during and after his last public appearance in early December at the PNC Championship in Orlando, where Woods competed as a team with his eleven-year-old son Charlie Woods. In the tweet, the 45-year-old superstar hides when the operation took place.
The Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, a confidante of the superstar thanks to the joint sponsor, said on Wednesday at a press conference before the Abu Dhabi Championship of the European Tour, which starts this Thursday, Woods had an operation on December 23 and would be back the next day Legs. According to Notah Begay III, a former professional who now works for the American television broadcaster Golf Channel and who shared a room with Woods during their college days in Stanford, his friend hit balls on the practice field on Tuesday.
When Woods will take part in a tournament again, however, is still in the stars, although he gives hope to his many fans. He writes that the procedure was successful and the doctors predict a full recovery: “I’m excited to be able to start training again and am focused on getting back on the PGA Tour. Woods will therefore not be able to take part in the Farmers Insurance Open next week in the public squares of Torrey Pines in San Diego, a PGA Tour tournament that he won seven times, most recently in 2013. Woods will also be at the Genesis Invitational in February in the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades (California) does not participate as a player, but wants to play his role as host of the tournament on site.
Woods’ back problems began in 2013. He had to undergo the first microdissectomy before the 2014 Masters, more of these interventions followed in September and October 2015. Since these operations did not alleviate his pain, he had two lumbar vertebrae stiffened in April 2017 and gave then his first victory in five years with the victory at the Tour Championship 2018 and a successful comeback with the Masters victory in 2019. But after he equaled Sam Snead’s record in October 2019 with his success at the Zozo Championship in Japan with his 82nd victory on the PGA Tour, he played only modest supporting roles in only seven tournaments last year.
After five knee and five back operations, the body kept on strike. After his disappointing 38th place finish at the Masters in November, Woods said, “There are times when my body doesn’t work as it used to, no matter how hard I push it. Yes, that’s why it’s harder to motivate me. “At least McIlroy believes Woods will overcome this setback:” He won’t be playing in any tournament for the next few months, but will return to the Masters in April if not before. “
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