Tiger Woods won’t rule out return at this year’s Masters

LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods is not ruling out a return to professional golf as early as this year’s Masters Tournament in April, the 15-time major champion said Tuesday.

Woods, 50, underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in October and also ruptured his left Achilles last March. He has not played in an event since the Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2024.

“It has been challenging,” said Woods, who is the tournament host at this week’s Genesis Invitational. “My body has been through a lot. Each and every day I keep trying, I keep progressing, trying to get it to a level that I can play at the highest level.”

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While Woods said his left Achilles is no longer a problem and that he is now able to hit full golf shots, the aftermath of the disc replacement surgery has been more of the issue.

“It’s just sore. It takes time,” he said. “[Will Zalatoris] went through it, and it took him a while to come back. I’m a little bit older than [him]. It’s probably going to take me a little bit longer.”

There is no official timetable for Woods’ return. In recent years, though his game has shown familiar flashes of greatness, the toll of the surgeries on Woods’ back have made it difficult for him to walk 72 holes over the course of a tournament.

Woods has previously shot down the idea of playing while riding in a cart, but he said Tuesday it’s something he would consider on the Champions Tour. At 50, Woods is eligible to play on that tour.

“I entered a new decade, so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart,” he said. “That’s something that, as I said, I won’t do out here on this tour because I don’t believe in it. But on the Champions Tour, that’s certainly an opportunity.”

On top of his rehabilitation, Woods is also a member of the PGA Tour policy board and the vice chairman for the PGA Tour Enterprises board of directors. He has been heavily involved in reshaping the future format and schedule changes of the PGA Tour, which he said they’re hoping to implement as early as next season.

That’s also why Woods said he has yet to make a decision on another role he has been asked to play: Ryder Cup captain for Team USA at Adare Manor in 2027.

“They have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet,” Woods said. “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour. That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA, and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.”