Whereas compiling the best profession document of his era, Tiger Woods has been no stranger spending time on the sideline due to harm. Right here’s a glance again at a number of the illnesses which have prompted Woods to overlook time throughout his profession:
December 2002: Woods has surgical procedure to take away fluid from across the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his left knee. The surgical procedure sidelines him just a few weeks, however Woods wins in his first begin again on the 2003 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines.
April 2008: Shortly after a runner-up end on the Masters, Woods has arthroscopic surgical procedure to restore cartilage injury to his left knee. Weeks later it’s revealed that the then-two-time U.S. Open champ has a pair of stress fractures in his left tibia.
June 2008: After enjoying by ache to assert the U.S. Open title at Torrey Pines, Woods has reconstructive surgical procedure on the ACL in his left knee. In the course of the surgical procedure, additional cartilage injury is repaired, and Woods doesn’t return to motion for practically 9 months, dropping to Tim Clark within the second spherical of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February 2009 in his first begin again.
Could 2010: After lacking the reduce the week prior on the Wells Fargo Championship, Woods withdraws throughout the ultimate spherical of The Gamers Championship, citing what he believes to be a possible bulging disk. “I’ve been enjoying with a nasty neck for fairly some time,” he tells reporters. The harm was later identified as an infected aspect joint in his neck. Woods doesn’t miss a begin, tying for nineteenth in his subsequent look on the Memorial Event the next month.
April 2011: Woods publicizes that he’ll withdraw from the upcoming Wells Fargo Championship on account of a “minor” harm to his left knee and Achilles’ tendon, one which he claimed to have suffered on the Masters earlier within the month. “That is precautionary”’ Woods’ agent tells reporters. “We’re in no way involved.”
Could 2011: In his first begin since his most up-to-date harm announcement, Woods abruptly withdraws from The Gamers Championship after 9 holes, exiting early from TPC Sawgrass for the second consecutive 12 months. “The knee acted up after which the Achilles’ adopted after that,” he tells reporters. The harm is later identified as each a sprain of the MCL ligament in his left knee and a pressure to the left Achilles’ tendon, and Woods finally misses three months of motion, together with each the U.S. Open and The Open. He ties for thirty seventh in his return on the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August.
March 2012: Woods withdraws with seven holes left in his ultimate spherical on the WGC-Cadillac Championship, citing an harm to his left Achilles’ tendon. “Previously, I could have tried to proceed to play, however this time, I made a decision to do what I assumed was essential.” The harm doesn’t sideline him lengthy, as Woods wins simply two weeks later in his first begin again on the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
June 2013: After a T-32 end on the U.S. Open, Woods publicizes he’ll miss the upcoming AT&T Nationwide on account of a left elbow pressure. “I’ve been suggested to take just a few weeks off, relaxation and bear remedy,” he says in a press release. It marks the third time he has missed the occasion due to harm in its seven-year historical past, and Woods confirms that he intends to return at The Open in July.
March 2014: Woods withdraws on the thirteenth inexperienced within the ultimate spherical of the Honda Traditional, citing decrease again spasms. Woods shot 5-over 40 on the entrance 9. Woods mentioned after the spherical that it was too quickly to inform his standing for subsequent week’s WGC-Cadillac. Woods’ spokesman, Glenn Greenspan, mentioned that the world No. 1 had skilled discomfort throughout warm-ups and that the problem was just like what Woods skilled throughout final 12 months’s Barclays, when he fell to his knees in ache throughout the ultimate spherical en path to a runner-up end.
April 2014: Woods publicizes that he’ll miss the Masters for the primary time in his professional profession. He additionally revealed that he just lately underwent surgical procedure for a pinched nerve in his again and that he hoped to return to the PGA Tour “someday this summer season.”
August 2014: Woods withdraws on the ninth gap of the ultimate spherical of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, citing decrease again ache. The harm stemmed from a clumsy lie on the second gap that despatched Woods again right into a fairway bunker after influence. “Simply jarred it,” he mentioned, “and it’s been spasming ever since.” This was his third match since getting back from surgical procedure in March, and he performed his first eight holes 3 over. When requested about his prognosis for the upcoming PGA Championship, Woods mentioned, “I don’t know. Simply attempting to get out of right here.”
February 2015: In his second begin of the 12 months, Woods walks off after finishing 11 holes of his opening spherical on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open, citing a again harm. Woods defined that the harm stemmed from enduring a number of fog delays earlier than the beginning of his spherical, and that he was unable to maintain his glutes “activated.” “My glutes are simply shutting off,” he mentioned. “Then they don’t activate after which, therefore, it goes into my decrease again.”
September 2015: After exhibiting indicators of enchancment in his ultimate begin of the season on the Wyndham Championship, Woods on Sept. 18 publicizes that he has undergone a second microdisectomy surgical procedure two days previous to take away a disc fragment that was pinching his nerve. “That is actually disappointing, however I’m a fighter,” Woods mentioned in a press release. “I’ve been advised I could make a full restoration, and I’ve little doubt that I’ll.” Woods says the surgical procedure will trigger him to overlook the Frys.com Open, Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup and his personal Hero World Problem. He additional states he hopes to return “early in 2016.”
October 2015: Woods publicizes on his web site that he has undergone a “profitable” process as a follow-up to his newest again surgical procedure. Supposed to “relieve discomfort,” the process was carried out in Park Metropolis, Utah, by the identical neurosurgeon who carried out Woods’ microdiscectomy surgical procedure on Sept. 16. “It’s a kind of issues that needed to be executed,” Woods says. “I’ve an impressive workforce of medical doctors, and I’ll be again as quickly as I can.” There’s nonetheless no timetable for his return to the PGA Tour.
April 2016: Woods, who hasn’t performed competitively since Fall 2015 surgical procedures, publicizes that he’ll miss the Masters for the second time in three years. “After assessing the current situation of my again, and consulting with my medical workforce, I’ve determined it’s prudent to overlook this 12 months’s Masters,” he mentioned in a press release on his web site. “I’ve been hitting balls and coaching every day, however I’m not bodily prepared. I’ve mentioned all alongside that this time I have to be cautious and do what’s finest for my long-term well being and profession. Sadly, enjoying Augusta subsequent week wouldn’t be the fitting choice. I’m completely making progress, and I’m actually pleased with how far I’ve come, however I nonetheless haven’t any timetable to return to aggressive golf.”
September 2016: Woods publicizes in a press release that he “hopes” to return to competitors on the Safeway Open, Oct. 13-16, the 2016-17 PGA Tour season-opener. The assertion mentioned he “intends” to additionally play the Turkish Airways Open in November and his Hero World Problem in December. “My rehabilitation is to the purpose the place I’m snug planning, however I nonetheless have work to do,” he mentioned within the assertion launched on his web site. “Whether or not I can play will depend on my continued progress and restoration. My hope is to have my recreation able to go.”
October 2016: After committing to the Safeway Open three days prior, Tiger Woods formally withdraws on Oct. 10. He says in a press release, “My well being is sweet, and I really feel sturdy, however my recreation is susceptible and never the place it must be.” He additionally says he is not going to compete in November’s Turkish Airways Open, however hopes to return on the Hero World Problem in December.
February 2017: Woods withdraws from the Omega Dubai Desert Traditional earlier than the beginning of his second spherical. Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, cites again spasms as the explanation. Woods mentioned he was feeling no ache following his first-round 77.
February 2017: Woods publicizes that he is not going to compete within the Genesis Open nor the Honda Traditional, two of 4 occasions in a five-week stretch wherein he deliberate to play to begin the 12 months.
March 2017: Woods misses the Arnold Palmer Invitational as he continues to get well from again spasms.
March 2017: Woods says he’s not “match prepared” and misses the Masters for the third time in 4 years.
April 2017: Woods publicizes on his web site that he has undergone “profitable again surgical procedure to alleviate ongoing ache in his again and leg.” The announcement explains that, “Woods’ backside lower-back disc severely narrowed, inflicting sciatica and extreme again and leg ache. … The surgical procedure entailed eradicating the broken disc and re-elevating the collapsed disc house to regular ranges. This permits the one vertebrae to heal to the opposite. The aim is to alleviate the strain on the nerve and to present the nerve the most effective likelihood of therapeutic. The operation was carried out by Dr. Richard Guyer of the Middle for Disc Substitute on the Texas Again Institute.”
Could 2017: Woods is arrested in Jupiter, Florida, on suspicion of driving below the affect. Woods later says alcohol was not concerned and he had “an surprising response to prescribed medicines.”
July 2017: Woods tweets that he “just lately accomplished an out of state non-public intensive program,” as he continues to hunt skilled assist following his arrest for DUI on Could 29. “I’ll proceed to deal with this going ahead with my medical doctors, household and buddies,” the assertion continues. “I’m so very grateful for all of the help I’ve acquired.”
October 28, 2017: Woods pleads responsible to reckless driving and enters a diversion program. He was sentenced to a 12 months of probation and ordered to pay a $250 wonderful and court docket prices.
October 30, 2017: Woods publicizes he’ll make his first aggressive begin in 9 months on the Hero World Problem.
March 4, 2019: After enjoying 2018 injury-free and competing in three occasions in 2019, Woods publicizes his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woods, an eight-time winner of the occasion, cites a neck pressure in a tweet: “Sadly on account of a neck pressure that I’ve had for just a few weeks, I’m pressured to withdraw from the API. I’ve been receiving remedy, but it surely hasn’t improved sufficient to play. My decrease again is okay, and I’ve no long-term issues.”
August 9, 2019: Following a first-round 75, Woods withdraws from The Northern Belief previous to his second-round tee time, citing a strained indirect. Woods walked by a restricted pro-am spherical on Wednesday, telling reporters that he was affected by stiffness. On Friday, he launched a press release, which learn partially: “I went for remedy early Friday morning, however sadly I’m nonetheless unable to compete.”
August 27, 2019: Woods publicizes on Twitter that he has undergone arthroscopic surgical procedure to restore minor ligament injury in his left knee. He says he expects to make a “full restoration” and nonetheless be capable of play a scheduled occasion in Japan in late-October.
January 19, 2021: Woods publicizes on Twitter that he has undergone a fifth microdisectomy process on his again. In line with the assertion, the process was carried out to take away a “pressurized disc fragment” that had given him ache throughout the PNC Championship in December. Woods says he might be skipping at the least two West Coast swing begins.
February 23, 2021: Woods is concerned in a single-vehicle rollover accident exterior of Los Angeles. In line with a press release from his physician, Woods sustained “important” accidents to his proper leg and ankle. Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Middle, mentioned that Woods suffered comminuted open fractures to the higher and decrease sections of his proper leg, in addition to important trauma to his proper ankle. Docs wanted to insert a rod, screws and pins to stabilize Woods’ leg, Mahajan mentioned in a press release. You may click on right here for a extra detailed take a look at Tiger’s timeline to return on the 2022 Masters.
Could 21, 2022: After efficiently making the reduce on the Masters, Woods additionally made the reduce on the PGA Championship. However following a third-round 79, Woods knowledgeable the PGA of America that he was withdrawing. “[T]he physique simply gained’t cooperate,” Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, advised Golfweek. Woods made his subsequent begin in July’s Open Championship at St. Andrews, the place he missed the reduce.
April 9, 2023: In his second begin of the 12 months, after tying for forty fifth in his personal Genesis Invitational, Woods survived the reduce on the Masters. However due to a number of climate suspensions, he would want to play 28 1/2 holes on Sunday to finish his third and ultimate rounds. Woods, who performed Saturday in depressing chilly and wet circumstances, publicizes his withdrawal early Sunday on Twitter, stating, “I’m upset to should WD this morning on account of reaggravating my plantar fasciitis.”
April 19, 2023: Woods publicizes through his Twitter account that he had a subtalar fusion process to “tackle his post-traumatic arthritis from his earlier talus fracture.” The subtalar joint is situated slightly below the ankle joint. Woods didn’t present a timeline for restoration, simply that he “appears to be like ahead to starting his rehabilitation.”
February 16, 2024: Making his first official PGA Tour begin in 10 months, Woods withdrew throughout the second spherical of the Genesis Invitational. Woods was on the seventh gap on Friday at Riviera Nation Membership when he was carted off the course. Tiger’s workforce later launched a press release saying he withdrew due to “flu-like signs” and that it had nothing to do together with his again or ankle.
Sept. 13, 2024: Woods once more makes use of his X (previously Twitter) account to announce that he underwent surgical procedure to restore a nerve impingement in his decrease again. It’s believed to be Woods’ sixth again surgical procedure. The 48-year-old performed in solely 5 occasions in 2024, together with a withdrawal on the Genesis Invitational (which he hosts), a last-place end on the Masters and missed cuts within the season’s ultimate three majors. Woods didn’t supply a timetable for a return in his social publish.
