Tiger Woods sparks fears as he makes candid confession about golf future after withdrawing from Hero World Challenge

Tiger Woods raised concerns among golf fans again last week when he opted not to play in the Hero World Challenge.

The golf legend, who has not played since bombing out of the Open Championship at Royal Troon and subsequently undergoing microdecompression surgery for nerve impingement on his lower back in September, was ‘disappointed’ to announce that he would be unable to compete.

Tournament host Woods was not listed on the initial player field last month but had been widely expected to take one of three exemption spots for the competition, an unofficial event that features 20 of the world’s top players.

After sparking concerns over his health, which has plagued his playing career for years now, Woods was on hand in the Bahamas to provide an update on his future.   

‘I don’t. I really don’t,’ the 15-time major winner admitted when asked if he had a target to return to the course. 

‘I’m just progressively trying to test it, keep making progress without setting it off. I don’t want to have any setbacks, just want to keep making progress and give myself the best chance going into next year as possible.

‘I feel like I’m getting stronger, I’m getting more pliable, but I’ve got a long way to go to be able to compete against these guys.’

‘I’m not tournament sharp yet,’ he added. ‘I’m still not there. These are 20 of the best players in the world and I’m not sharp enough to compete against them at this level. So when I’m ready to compete and play at this level, then I will.’ 

Woods confessed that his back gave out on him earlier this year, progressively getting worse as time went one. 

‘I didn’t think my back was going to go like it did this year,’ Woods said. ‘It was quite painful throughout the end of the year and hence I had another procedure done to it to alleviate the pain I had going down my leg.

‘So whether my commitment going forward is once a month, yeah, I could say that all over again, but I truly don’t know. I’m just trying to rehab and still get stronger and better and feel better, really give myself the best chance I can going into next year.’

Woods played five tournaments in 2024, finishing 60th in the Masters and missing the cut in the other three majors, after pledging to play one event a month at last year’s edition of the Hero World Challenge. 

He opened his 2024 campaign in mid-February at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, where he had to withdraw just six holes into the second round due to illness. 

But the 2025 tournament, which is slated to be held on the equivalent week, could be in doubt for Woods after his latest update, suggesting a return at Augusta National could be a more likely option. 

However, he did not rule out the possibility of continuing the tradition of teeing it up alongside son Charlie at the PNC Championship in two weeks’ time. Woods is permitted to use a golf cart at the parent-child better ball charity event. 

Despite being kept away from the fairways, Woods’ competitive drive has not been dampened. 

‘The fire still burns to compete,’ Woods said, [but] ‘the difference is the recovery of the body is not what it used to be.

‘The body just won’t recover like it used to, that’s part of age, part of an athlete’s journey.’

Fans are guaranteed to get a glimpse of the icon in the New Year when TGL – his venture with Rory McIlroy – finally launches.

Woods told Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig that he should be good to go for the league’s debut in January but admitted if it was launching now it ‘would be difficult’ to play. 

Woods is set to tee it up in the inaugural season of the tech-infused league with his team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, which comprises of Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner alongside the captain, on January 14.