The Painful Health Journey of Tiger Woods: he has once again withdrawn from the Masters Tournament and has undergone what is likely his eighth surgery in the past decade.
The professional golfer has faced a challenging journey with his health, dealing with multiple injuries over the years.
This week, he had to pull out of the prestigious Masters Tournament set for April 10 due to an injury that required surgery, adding to the list of setbacks in his career.
The recent surgery, which was performed to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, raises questions about his ability to participate in any upcoming championships this year, especially as he nears his 50th birthday and speculation about his retirement continues.
While the timeline for his recovery is still unclear, Tiger shared in a statement: “As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured. This morning, Dr. Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon.”
Review the latest updates regarding Tiger’s health history below.
The ruptured Achilles
Dr. Stucken, Tiger’s physician, has shared an update on the surgery: “The procedure went well, and we expect a full recovery.”
In his own words, Tiger said: “I’m back home and will focus on my recovery and rehabilitation. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received.”
As reported by the Associated Press, the usual recovery time is at least a month before one can put weight on their foot. Interestingly, fellow Masters champion Bernhard Langer suffered an Achilles tendon tear last year, which kept him out for three months.
Previous surgeries
In September of last year, Tiger Woods had his sixth back surgery, which was a microdecompression of the lumbar spine, often referred to as a microdiscectomy. This procedure aimed to relieve nerve compression and ease the back spasms and pain that had plagued him for much of the 2024 season.
Earlier, in April 2023, he had to withdraw from the Masters after the tournament had started. Subsequently, he underwent surgery on his ankle to address post-traumatic arthritis, a condition resulting from the serious leg injuries he suffered in a car accident in February 2021 in Los Angeles, which ultimately led to his decision to retire from professional golf.
At that time, he shared his disappointment, saying, “I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis. Thank you to the fans and to @TheMasters who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!”
Tiger’s car crash injuries
In 2021, Tiger was in a serious single-vehicle accident that caused his car to roll over several times, trapping him inside.
He was taken by ambulance to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where Dr. Anish Mahajan later stated that Tiger suffered “significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity” and needed emergency surgery for “open fractures involving both the upper and lower parts of the tibia and fibula.”
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