Tiger Woods: When will he return from harm? 15-time main champion provides updates on 2026 schedule hopes

Tiger Woods was restricted to the function of event host on the Hero World Problem on account of harm, with uncertainty remaining over his future and what his schedule will appear to be within the years forward.

Woods has performed a restricted schedule since struggling career-threatening accidents in a automotive crash in February 2021, finishing a full 72-hole event simply 4 occasions over the previous 5 years.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner missed the whole main season after rupturing his Achilles in March, then underwent disc alternative in October – a minimum of the seventh again surgical procedure he has had throughout his profession.

Woods admitted restoration from his newest harm setback goes “not as fast” as he hoped, leaving him unable to function on the 20-man occasion benefiting his basis and – as of December 8 – solely cleared by medical doctors to chip and putt.

“It [surgery] was a good thing to do, something I needed to have happen and it just takes time and dedication to the rehab process,” Woods stated within the Bahamas. “It [recovery] is just not as quick as I might prefer it to be.

“Not able to do much on a disc replacement to let it set. Can’t really do much. Now we got the OK to start cranking up a little bit in the gym, started strengthening and started doing a little bit more of the rotational component that I haven’t been able to do.”

Woods has made a number of harm comebacks over his prolonged profession, with 2026 marking the thirtieth anniversary of him turning skilled, nevertheless it stays unclear when followers will subsequent see him again on the golf course.

Tiger: PNC Championship return could be ‘unfair’

Woods has beforehand described the PNC Championship as his ‘fifth main’ with the 36-hole workforce competitors seeing a former winner of a significant or The Gamers tee it up alongside a member of the family.

The previous world No 1 has featured in each version since 2020 together with his son, Charlie Woods, who fired a hole-in-one throughout final yr’s contest earlier than they misplaced in a play-off to Bernhard Langer’s workforce.

Crew Woods have repeatedly been among the many final of the entries confirmed, based mostly on his health and availability, though will sit out of the 2025 version – dwell from December 16-17 on Sky Sports activities Golf – on the Ritz-Carlton Golf Membership in Florida.

“No, it wouldn’t be fair [to play],” Woods admitted. “Not only it wouldn’t be fair to my son, but it wouldn’t be fair to another team that could play and could have that experience that we’ve had for a number of years.”

May TGL be the place Woods makes his return?

Jupiter Hyperlinks GC failed to achieve the season-ending play-offs within the inaugural TGL, an indoor tech-infused golf league that includes PGA Tour gamers, with Woods’ workforce dropping 4 of their 5 matches.

Woods performed in three of the 4 losses and is a part of the roster for the 2026 season, beginning December 28 and dwell on Sky Sports activities, though has already dominated himself out of early matches.

“I won’t be able to play in the first part of the TGL season but I will be there at every match that Jupiter Links competes in,” Woods insisted.

“Now, hopefully I will be able to maybe play at the end of the season here and there, but I don’t know. I’ve got to hit more shots than just chip and putt in TGL – there’s a few drives I might have to hit.”

Jupiter Hyperlinks GC play New York Golf Membership on January 13 (January 14, 12am UK time), Los Angeles Golf Membership on January 21 (January 20, 12am UK time) and Atlanta Drive GC on February 2 (10pm UK time), earlier than two matches within the first week of March.

Will Woods play PGA Tour Champions AND PGA Tour?

Woods turning 50 on December 30 frees him as much as play on the PGA Tour Champions from subsequent season, giving him the choice to play occasions on both circuit as soon as he has recovered from harm.

The five-time Masters champion has solely performed 10 occasions or extra in a calendar yr twice over the previous 10 seasons, with Woods nonetheless not sure on what’s schedule will appear to be going ahead.

“I’m probably going to play probably 25 events on both tours and I think that should cover most of the year, right?” Woods joked to reporters. “I’m just looking forward to just let me get back to playing again.

“Let me try this after which I will sort of work out what the schedule goes to be. I am a method away from that a part of it and that sort of resolution, that sort of dedication degree.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been through this rehab process before, it’s just step by step. Once I get a feel for practising, exploding, playing, the recovery process, then I can assess where I’m going to play and how much I’ll play.”

Woods ‘wants time’ to plan newest return

Woods made the Genesis Invitational his first begin of the season in each 2023 and 2024, though the actual fact he has dominated himself out of early TGL matches would counsel it is unlikely he will probably be match to function on the Riviera Nation Membership from February 19-22.

The PGA Tour Champions is another choice for Woods to return, the place he might use a golf cart throughout regular-season occasions, whereas the Florida Swing – throughout March on the PGA Tour – is near his house and the place he has beforehand loved success.

“I need time to figure this out with my back and with my body,” Woods defined. “As I begin to get extra explosive and begin to rotate and see what I’ve bought, then I can discover out or assess what tournaments I might play in, how a lot I ought to play, the place I want to play.

“I really haven’t gone in depth of what the schedule looks like on the Champions Tour except for a few tournaments.”

Majors on the thoughts for Woods?

Woods stated forward of The Masters in 2024 that he feels he can add to his main tally ‘if all the things comes collectively’, though completed final of those that made the reduce that yr earlier than making early exits on the PGA Championship, US Open and The Open.

He hasn’t been seen at a event providing world rating factors because the missed reduce at The Open in July 2024, whereas his final main top-20 end got here throughout his memorable 2019 win at The Masters.

Woods has lifetime exemptions to The Masters and the PGA Championship, plus can function at The Open yearly for an additional decade. He’s at the moment ineligible for the US Open however the USGA have beforehand provided a particular exemption for Woods, ought to he really feel bodily able to compete.

Throw in the potential for senior majors in 2026 and there are much more alternatives than ever for Woods to make his newest return. The sporting world watches on with curiosity to see if – or hopefully when – that can occur.

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