Tiger Woods offers first public comments since latest back surgery amid growing concern over golf return

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Tiger Woods' pursuit of an elusive 16th major championship could resume one day, but it remains unclear when that will actually happen.

Woods' 15 major victories rank second on the all-time majors wins list, trailing only Jack Nicklaus. But Woods' storied career has been derailed by a long list of injuries and subsequent surgeries. In more recent years, back issues have plagued the golf icon. Earlier this fall, Woods underwent a seventh procedure to address his back.

In his first public comments since the procedure, Woods shared his hopes about eventually returning. The five-time Masters Tournament winner also cautioned that there is no timetable in place for a potential comeback.

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Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club waves to fans as he is introduced at the start of a match of the TMRW Golf League against Boston Common Golf Jan. 27, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

"I just started this process," Woods said at a pre-tournament news conference at the Hero World Challenge. "A disc replacement takes time. It's longer — it's not as long as a fusion, thank god, but it's going to take time."

Woods' back troubles first surfaced in 2014. October's surgery marked the second back procedure for Woods in a roughly 12-month span.

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Aside from his back troubles, Woods also ruptured an Achilles tendon earlier this year. 

Despite the uncertainty swirling around his playing future, Woods did reveal that he was recently cleared to chip and putt. The next step in his