ANALYTICAL: WHY TIGER WOODS HAS ZERO TIMETABLE AFTER 7TH SURGERY
Tiger Woods stated his recovery from his latest back surgery is "not as fast as I'd like" and refused to set a return date. He has just been cleared to chip and putt.
On December 2nd, Tiger Woods shared that his recovery from his recent back surgery is taking longer than expected, so he can’t say when he’ll be back on the course.
Woods, who turns 50 later this month and has 15 major titles, had disc replacement surgery in October. This is just the latest in a string of surgeries and injuries that have kept him out of action since the 2024 British Open.
At his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on December 2nd, Woods mentioned he’s been cleared to start chipping and putting. Still, the former world number one isn't sure when he will compete again.
“It’s not going as fast as I want,” Woods said when asked about his recovery from his seventh back surgery.
“It was the right thing to do, something I needed. It just takes time and hard work to get through rehab.”
When questioned about his potential 2026 tournament plans, Woods said he’s still figuring out when he’ll be ready to return.
“I’m just waiting to get back to playing. Once I do, I’ll start planning my schedule,” Woods said.
“I’m not there yet in terms of making those decisions or commitments.
“I’ve been through this rehab before, so it’s one step at a time. Once I get used to practising, pushing myself, playing, and recovering, then I can decide where and how much I’ll play.”
After a bad car crash in 2021 caused serious leg injuries, Woods came back at the 2022 Masters, finishing 47th.
He had another back operation in September 2024 and was recovering from that when he announced in March that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon.
Even though he’s started chipping and putting, Woods is prepared for a long rehab after his surgery.
“I just got cleared last week to chip and putt, which is great,” he said.
“It’s been slow since I couldn't do much after the disc replacement.
“Now I’m cleared to start working harder in the gym, building strength, and doing more of the twisting exercises I haven’t been able to do. I’m just letting the disc settle.”
When asked if he might return at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in February, Woods said, “As I said, I don’t know. Disc replacement takes time. It’s not as long as a fusion, thankfully, but it will take a while.”
Woods is determined to get back to playing golf.
“I want to get back to just playing golf,” he said.
“I haven’t played in a while. It’s been a tough year.
“I’ve had a lot of tough things happen on and off the course, so I really want to just play again. It’s been too long.”
DEXTER LAWRENCE TRADE REQUEST LOOMS OVER GIANTS' PREPARATIONS FOR PITTSBURGH NFL DRAFT
Dexter Lawrence wants out! Discover why the Giants are considering a trade before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
The New York Giants might have no choice but to trade Dexter Lawrence before the NFL Draft. Negotiations on a new contract with the star defender have hit a wall, and Lawrence already asked for a trade earlier this month. He's skipped the team’s first offseason practices under new head coach John Harbaugh, which hasn’t helped matters.
At this point, the Giants have been talking with several teams about a possible deal for Lawrence. With the draft coming up in Pittsburgh next week, the pressure is on. They need picks, and right now they only hold two selections in the top 100. Harbaugh’s trying to breathe new life into the roster, but he needs more draft capital to do it.
News of the stalled negotiations came just hours after GM Joe Schoen sounded pretty upbeat, saying talks had been "productive". He explained that he, Harbaugh, and senior VP Dawn Aponte were all in regular contact with Lawrence’s reps, looking for some kind of resolution. Schoen insisted they want Dexter to stay, but he admitted it’s out of their hands now. They’ll just have to see what happens.
Lawrence, 28, signed a four-year, $90 million extension last year. Since then, defensive contracts have exploded, so his deal has dropped to just 11th among league defenders. On top of that, the team’s shaken up its roster, letting go of many Lawrence’s close teammates like Saquon Barkley.
Lawrence has been with the Giants since they drafted him 17th overall in 2019. He’s played his whole seven-year career in New York, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl and two second-team All-Pro honours. His career stats include 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception. But last year wasn’t great; he only managed half a sack, eight QB hits, and a pass rush win rate of 8.3 per cent for a team that finished 4-13. It’s hard to tell if he’ll stay with the Giants much longer.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
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Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”
