Tiger Woods Undergoes Sixth Back Surgery in a Decade

Golf legend Tiger Woods has undergone another surgery on his lower back, hoping to alleviate spasms that have plagued him throughout the year. The surgery, known as a microdiscectomy, is expected to have a recovery time of 8 to 12 weeks.

Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers of all time, has undergone another back surgery, his sixth in the past 10 years. The surgery, performed on Friday morning, was aimed at relieving spasms that Woods has experienced this year.

In a brief statement released on social media, Woods described the surgery as a "microdiscectomy of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement on the lower back." The recovery time for such a procedure typically ranges from eight to twelve weeks.

Woods has not been scheduled to play again until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which is set to take place from December 5 to 8. He was also scheduled to participate in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, from December 21 to 22 in Orlando, Florida.

"The surgery went smoothly, and I'm hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2023 season," Woods said in his statement.

Woods played in only five tournaments this year, including the four majors and the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in February, where he is the tournament host. He withdrew from the Riviera tournament after just two rounds due to an illness.

The only tournament where Woods specifically mentioned back spasms was the Riviera Invitational, where he explained a shank he hit on the 18th hole of the opening round. He stated that he had been dealing with spasms at home, but not during competition.

Woods first underwent a microdiscectomy in April 2014, followed by two more surgeries the following year. In 2017, he had his lower back fused. He had another microdiscectomy surgery in December 2020 to remove a pressurized disc fragment.

Two months later, Woods was involved in a serious car accident in Los Angeles, where he shattered bones in his right leg and ankle. This led to further injuries that he has had to manage while trying to maintain a limited playing schedule.

Woods' manager, Mark Steinberg, was traveling on Friday and not immediately available for comment.

Woods' statement concludes: "I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf."

Despite his recent struggles, Woods remains determined to return to the game he loves. He made the cut in only one tournament this year, the Masters, where he set a record by making his 24th consecutive cut at Augusta National. This year marked the first time since 2019 that Woods played in all four majors, the same year he won the Masters for his 15th career major title.