Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods underwent surgery recently to replace a disc in his back. It’s the latest injury setback for Woods, who also underwent surgery in March after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while ramping up training and practice at home.
Here’s a look at some of the injuries Woods has had throughout his PGA Tour career.
September 10, 2025: Back surgery
Woods underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery — his seventh back surgery. Woods said in a social media post that he had the surgery in New York and added it was the right decision for his health and his troubled back. He did not mention how long it would keep him out of golf. It was his second surgery of the year and his second back surgery in 13 months.
Woods said he consulted doctors and surgeons after experiencing pain and lack of mobility in his back. “The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal,” Woods wrote in the post. “I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”
March 11, 2025: Achilles tendon injury
Woods underwent surgery after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while ramping up training and practice at home, he announced in a statement on X. Woods, 49, said Dr. Charlton Stucken of the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida, performed a “minimally invasive” Achilles tendon repair. “The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery,” Stucken said in a statement.
Sept. 13, 2024: Back surgery
Woods announced that he underwent surgery on his lower back. In a statement on his social media, the procedure was described as a microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in the lower back. “The surgery went smoothly, and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season,” Woods said.
April 19, 2023: Ankle surgery
Woods underwent surgery to address post-traumatic arthritis in his right ankle that was caused by injuries suffered in a February 2021 car wreck. According to a statement posted to Woods’ Twitter account, Dr. Martin O’Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York performed the subtalar fusion procedure to address arthritis caused by a previous talus fracture and “determined the surgery to be successful.”
“He’s resting now and will start the recovery process,” Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview at the time.
April 9, 2023: Withdraws from Masters
Woods withdrew prior to Sunday at the Masters — he would have needed to play 28½ holes due to weather suspensions. “I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis.”
Feb. 23, 2021: Injuries from car crash
Woods was involved in a one-car crash in Southern California in which the vehicle rolled several times and left him trapped in the car. He later had surgery to deal with “open fractures” to his lower right leg, had a rod placed in a tibia and had screws and pins inserted in his foot and ankle during emergency surgery.
Woods was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center by ambulance. Later that night, Dr. Anish Mahajan issued a statement in which he said Woods suffered “significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity” and had emergency surgery for “open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portion of the tibia and fibula bones.” Mahajan said Woods’ leg was “stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia and additional injuries to the bones of his foot and ankle were repaired with screws and pins. To relieve pressure from swelling, doctors also removed the covering of muscles.”
Dec. 23, 2021: Another back procedure
Woods underwent a fifth back procedurehis fourth microdiscectomy, meant to alleviate nerve pain in his lower back. The time frame for a return is typically 2½ to 3 months.
Aug. 20, 2019: Left knee surgery
Woods had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee — the fifth time that knee had been operated on — and later said the knee hindered him throughout the summer and that he had put the procedure off. He said he would be ready in time for the Zozo Championship in Japan.
April 20, 2017: Back surgery
Woods announced he underwent successful back surgery to alleviate ongoing pain in his back and leg. “The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain,” Woods said via his website. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”
Feb. 3, 2017: Back spasms
Woods withdrew before the second round of the Dubai Desert Classic, citing back spasms. Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, said at the time that the problem was not related to nerve issues that had plagued the 14-time major champion over the prior few years and resulted in three surgeries, the most recent in September 2015.
Oct. 28, 2015: Follow-up back procedure
About a month after his second back surgery in a year and a half, Woods announced that he had undergone a follow-up procedure to relieve discomfort in the area. The procedure was performed by Dr. Charles Rich, the same neurosurgeon who performed the previous two surgeries.
Sept. 16, 2015: Back surgery again
Back surgery again: Woods missed the cut in three of the four majors of 2015, but in August he posted his best finish of the year. That was his final start of the year, however, because Woods underwent a second microdiscectomy surgery in September. He said he hoped to return in “early 2016.”
April 1, 2014: Back surgery
Woods announced he would miss the Masters after undergoing a microdiscectomy for a pinched nerve, which had been hurting him for several months. Woods said he would return to golf “sometime this summer,” which he did in late June at the Quicken Loans National.
March 18, 2014: Back spasms
Woods announced he wouldn’t play the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing lingering pain.
March 2, 2014: Back issues
Woods withdrew from the final round of the Honda Classic.
March 11, 2012: Injury to left Achilles tendon
Woods withdrew from the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
May 12, 2011: Knee, Achilles act up
Woods withdrew from the Players Championship with apparent injuries after nine holes (he shot 42). “The knee acted up, and then the Achilles followed after that, and then the calf started cramping up. Everything started getting tight,” he said. Woods didn’t play again until the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August 2011.
April 26, 2011: Left MCL sprain, strained left Achilles tendon
Woods announced he would miss the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina. During the third round of the Masters, he suffered a Grade 1 mild MCL sprain to his left knee and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon while hitting a difficult and awkward second shot from the pine straw under the Eisenhower tree left of the fairway at No. 17. Woods was able to continue playing at Augusta and later decided to seek a medical evaluation.
2010: Apparent neck injury
Woods was forced to withdraw from the Players Championship during the final round with a neck injury. An MRI revealed that he had an inflamed facet joint in his neck.
2008-09: Torn right Achilles tendon
At the 2010 Masters, Woods revealed that he tore his right Achilles in 2008 and reinjured the tendon several times in 2009, yet continued to play.
2008: Arthroscopic knee surgery
Two days after finishing second at the 2008 Masters, Woods had arthroscopic knee surgery to clean out cartilage. He was expected to recover in four to six weeks, and he returned to action at the U.S. Open. The result? He won. Woods had reconstructive surgery on the damaged ACL and missed the remainder of the 2008 season. In addition to the ACL problem, Woods had a double stress fracture in his left tibia as a result of his preparation for the U.S. Open.
2007: Ruptured ACL
Woods ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while at home running after the 2007 British Open, but he decided against surgery. He went on to win five of his next six events.
