Tiger Woods Injury Timeline: From World Glory To a Lacerated Comeback

Tiger Woods and injuries have walked a parallel trajectory, crossing roads intermittently at the start and frequently in the last decade. A knee surgery even before turning pro started the decades-long battle with knee and back problems. As Woods eyes a professional comeback at the 2024 Genesis Invitational, we look back at his long history of pushing through pain.

December 1994

As a Stanford freshman Woods underwent left knee surgery to remove a scar tissue and two benign tumors. The 20-year-old would go on to defend his U.S. Amateur title in 1995, defeating Buddy Marucci in a thrilling comeback. 

December 2002

Six years into his professional career and already at the No. 1 spot, Woods suffered perhaps his first major injury in the year he earned his third Green Jacket. The 15-time Major Winner had another surgery that removed a benign cyst and the fluid near his ACL in the left knee. His swing also went through a major overhaul to avoid further injuries.

September 2006

Woods pulled out from the WGC-American Express after hurting a muscle in his left shoulder. However, the former World No. 1 went on to win the tournament, carding 67 in the final round to post 23-under 261. He would also win the Target World Challenge in December. 

July 2007

Woods ruptured the ligament in his left knee (again!) while running at home. Never fond of surgery, Tiger Woods would go on to play his next event, pushing through the pain. It didn’t stop him from winning, though. Woods won five titles in the remainder of the season, along with a runner-up finish.

April, 2008

The former World No. 1 had to go through another surgery within a year. Woods decided to have the knee surgery and clean out the cartilage. After missing the Memorial and the Players Championship, the veteran came back to land a historic victory at the 2008 U.S. Open.

June, 2008

Woods, ignoring doctors’ advice, teed up at the 2008 U.S. Open with a double-stress fracture. Although he landed his 14th Major, it delayed his recovery as the then-World No. 1 had to undergo reconstructive surgery a week later. He had to miss the remainder of the season because of a protracted recovery. 

December, 2008

Once again, Tiger Woods injured himself while running at home during the offseason. But we only got to know about it after the 15-time Major winner revealed it during the 2010 Masters. However, there were early signs, as his knee injury kept bothering him in 2009. 

May, 2010

Woods feared he had a bulging disc in his back while withdrawing from the Players Championship in the middle of the final round. It wasn’t. But it was an inflamed facet joint in his neck that caused him to pull out. The 48-year-old came back to the Memorial for a T-19 finish. 

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April, 2011

After losing the World Ranking Crown, Woods suffered his first major setback at the 2011 Masters. Near the Eisenhower tree at the 17th hole in Augusta, an awkward shot caused a mild strain in the left ankle. The then-World No. 5 announced he would withdraw from the Wells Fargo Championship after tying for fourth place at the Masters. 

May, 2011

As a fallout from the Masters injury, Woods had to withdraw from the Players Championship for the second straight year. “The knee acted up, and then the Achilles followed after that,” Woods told reporters after the injury. Later, it was diagnosed that Woods sprained the MCL ligament in his left knee, in addition to a strain in his left Achilles tendon. The rehab forced him out of the greens for three months.

March, 2012

Another ligament injury forced Tiger Woods to withdraw from the World Golf Championship – Cadillac in March. Admitting that at other times he might have played through the pain, Woods said he did what he felt was necessary. It paid off, as the Hall of Famer went on to win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational upon his return.

March, 2014

Tiger Woods had to pull out of the Honda Open in 2014 due to a back injury. This would also force him to miss the Masters for the first time since 1994. A surgery later, he would return in July only to re-injure his back in August. This is the start of lingering issues that plagued the latter part of his career.

September, 2015

Woods revealed in September that he had to undergo his second microdiscectomy. 2015 was also the year when the veteran missed cuts in three of the four majors. 

February, 2017

The promise of a thumping return was stopped short after Woods had to withdraw once again at the Dubai Desert Classic. The 82-time PGA Tour winner underwent a fourth-back surgery in April that kept him out of the greens for the rest of the season. He would come back next year, winning the 2018 Tour Championship.

August, 2019

Woods announced he went through arthroscopic surgery for minor ligament issues four months after earning his fifth Masters. He also had to bow out from the Northern Trust Open that month. That was his fifth knee surgery.

January, 2021

Tiger Woods decided to have his fifth microdiscectomy on his back in January to remove a bulging disc. Just a month later, the veteran golfer met with a near-fatal car crash. The aftereffects of his accident caused trouble until last year. 

April, 2023

A lingering ankle injury forced Tiger Woods to withdraw from the Masters. After trying to avoid surgeries for a long time, the 48-year-old finally had to give up. Two weeks after bowing out of Augusta, the former World No. 1 announced he underwent a subtalar fusion in his right ankle. 

Tiger Woods went on to talk more about his recovery at the Hero World Challenge. Claiming that his ankle doesn’t move the way it used to, the veteran revealed he was trying to adapt his game. The Genesis Invitational will be his first professional PGA Tour outing since last year’s Masters.

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