In America they say you can’t talk about Tiger Woods without using the word maybe. Maybe Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all time. Maybe he would have been the highest paid in all sports without addictions and/or ailments. Maybe he’ll retire at 49. Maybe he’ll sit out another whole year.
Tiger Woods, injury
Among so many doubts, some certainties are beautiful and others a little less so. The first are Tiger Woods’ 82 victories on the PGA Tour (like him only Sam Snead), the 15 Major titles, the 683 weeks as number one in the world (281 consecutive), the ten years in which he won at least 5 races per season, the billion dollars earned in his career… The other certainties are more painful, namely a long list of injuries, surgeries and relapses.
Last Monday the latest ailment: the left Achilles tendon acting up, the operating room and yet another return to the Tour postponed to a date to be determined. Those tendons have tormented Tiger Woods’ career, his back and left knee were the… real Achilles heel. The GOAT underwent six operations on his back, seven on his lower limbs. To make sure he didn’t miss anything, the 49-year-old started again even after three car accidents.
December 1994: He underwent surgery on his left knee to remove two benign tumors and scar tissue.
December 13, 2002: Surgery on his left knee to remove fluid in and out of his anterior cruciate ligament and to remove benign cysts. Misses the 2003 season opener.
August 2007: Torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while running after the British Open, but continued to play. Won five of his last six tournaments, including the PGA Championship, for his 13th major title.
April 15, 2008: Two days after the Masters, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair cartilage damage.
May 2008: Diagnosed with two stress fractures in his left tibia. Doctors recommended six weeks of complete rest, the first three on crutches.
June 24, 2008: A week after his U.S. Open win, he underwent surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. A tendon from his right thigh was used in the operation. He also treated another cartilage injury. He misses the rest of the season.
December 2008: He injures the Achilles tendon in his right leg while training to return to the course.
November 27, 2009: He is hospitalized after a car accident in which he suffers a cut to his lip that requires five stitches and neck pain.
May 9, 2010: He withdraws on Sunday at The Players Championship due to a slipped disc. He later reveals that it was a neck problem, a sort of tingling on the right side of his body.
April 10, 2011: He injures his left Achilles tendon while hitting the ball from an awkward position during the Masters.
May 12, 2011: He withdraws from The Players Championship after nine holes due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee as well as a torn left Achilles tendon. Misses two months of competition, including two Majors.
March 11, 2012: Still feels something wrong with his left Achilles tendon; leaves the Cadillac Championship after 11 holes. Returns and wins at Bay Hill.
August 24, 2012: In the middle of The Barclays, complains of back pain. Blames a hotel mattress that was too soft.
June 13, 2013: Is filmed swinging his left arm during the U.S. Open. Goes on, wins The Players Championship, and says he sprained his left elbow.
August 11, 2013: Reports back stiffness in the final round at the PGA Championship.
August 21, 2013: Collapses to the ground with back spasms two weeks later at The Barclays.
March 2, 2014: Withdraws after 13 holes at the Honda Classic due to back pain.
March 9, 2014: Finishes the Cadillac Championship with severe back pain after an awkward sand shot. He finishes with 78, his worst final-round score.
March 19, 2014: Withdraws from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to back pain persistent back pain.
March 31, 2014: Undergoes surgery in Utah for a pinched nerve in her back.
April 1, 2014: Announces he will skip the Masters.
September 16, 2015: Undergoes a second microdiscectomy to remove a fragment of a disc that was compressing a nerve.
October 28, 2015: Undergoes a third back operation to relieve pain.
February 3, 2017: Withdraws from the Dubai Desert Classic before the second round due to back spasms.
April 19, 2017: Undergoes spinal fusion surgery for his lower back
May 30, 2017: Tiger Woods is arrested while asleep at the wheel of a stopped car. He later claims the episode was caused by a reaction to prescription medications.
March 4, 2019: Withdraws from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a neck strain that had bothered him for two weeks.
August 9, 2019: Withdraws from the first FedEx Cup playoff event due to an oblique strain.
August 27, 2019: Announces that he has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair ligament damage.
January 19, 2021: Undergoes a fifth microdiscectomy on his back to remove a fragment of a disc.
February 23, 2021: Is involved in a serious car crash while traveling 85 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone. He suffers open fractures to his right leg and damage to his ankle.
April 9, 2023: Withdraws from the Masters due to a flare-up of plantar fasciitis.
April 19, 2023: Announces that he has undergone subtalar fusion surgery on his right ankle to address post-traumatic arthritis.
September 13, 2024: Undergoes a sixth back surgery to address a nerve problem.
March 11, 2025: Has surgery for a ruptured left Achilles tendon, injured during training.
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