Tiger Woods' comebacks: The incredible chronicle of his injuries

Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers of all time, is not only known for his unparalleled success, but also for a lengthy and often painful history of injuries that repeatedly put his career to the test. The fact that he nevertheless repeatedly celebrated comebacks and won a total of 15 majors is nothing short of a miracle. From early knee problems to a broken leg, which Woods still won a major with, to the terrible car accident in which the now 49-year-old almost lost his leg - read here about the sometimes serious injuries Tiger Woods suffered.

Tiger Woods and his injuries

It became apparent early on in his career that Woods' knee would be a weak point. The first known operation took place in December 1994, when benign cysts and scar tissue were removed from his left knee as an 18-year-old student at Stanford University. As he was still in amateur status at the time, this early intervention had no impact on his professional career, but foreshadowed future problems.

After making golfing history with the "Tiger Slam" in 2001, Woods had to have another operation on his left knee in December 2002 to drain fluid from the anterior cruciate ligament and remove further cysts. This happened at the height of his dominance, shortly after winning the Masters and the U.S. Open. The operation forced him to sit out the start of the 2003 season and take a 10-week break. But Tiger Woods returned quickly and victoriously, a pattern that was to be repeated many times in his career.

Tiger's golden era and first major setbacks

Even in his best years, Woods was not completely spared. From September 2006, he was plagued by pain and minor injuries. It is remarkable that during this phase, which was one of his most successful, he simply played through the pain and even won a tournament at the former World Golf Championships. This showed his immense mental strength and the will to win despite his physical limitations.

A decisive event was the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in July 2007, which Woods suffered after the Open Championship. He initially decided against an operation and continued to play at the highest level, even winning five of his next six tournaments, including the PGA Championship. However, the true extent of the injury became apparent the following year.

In April 2008, Woods underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee to repair cartilage damage. This took place shortly after his second place at the Masters and led to a two-month forced break. But his knee odyssey was not over yet: In May 2008, he was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his left tibia. Despite the pain and against medical advice, Woods entered the U.S. Open and won the tournament in a play-off against Rocco Mediate - a victory that is still regarded as one of the greatest triumphs of his career. Eight days after this legendary victory, in June 2008, he had to undergo an operation on his left knee. This forced him to sit out the rest of the 2008 season and led to a long recovery phase.

Chronic problems and the onset of back problems

The early 2010s were characterized by recurring problems. In April 2011, Woods suffered a sprained inner ligament in his left knee and a left Achilles tendon strain. This forced him to miss the Players Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship and led to a month-long layoff. The hamstring would continue to plague him; in March 2012, another episode of hamstring pain forced him to withdraw from the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but just two weeks later he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In June 2013, a left elbow strain was added to the mix. Woods withdrew from the AT&T National and took about a month off, but returned in time for the Open Championship.

A new, lengthy chapter in his injury history began in 2014: back problems. In March 2014, Woods underwent his first back surgery (a microdiscectomy) for a pinched nerve. This was the beginning of an odyssey that would have a lasting impact on his career. He had to withdraw from the Honda Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational and missed the Masters for the first time in his career. This marked the beginning of a long break from golf.

The back problems continued: Two more microdiscectomies in his back followed in September and October 2015 to remove disc fragments. These operations forced him to miss the rest of the 2015 season and also the 2016 Masters. This phase was characterized by uncertainty as to whether he would ever be able to play at the top level again.

In April 2017, Woods underwent a spinal fusion in his lower back, his fourth back operation. This surgery was considered a last resort and was seen by many as a potential career-ender. He withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic and missed the major tournaments in the spring. He did not take part in any of the major tournaments in 2016 and 2017.

Tiger Woods' comeback and the devastating accident

After a largely injury-free 2018 season, which culminated in an emotional victory at the Tour Championship, Woods returned to winning ways in 2019. Just a few months later, he won the Masters, one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history. In August 2019, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair minor cartilage damage, from which he recovered relatively quickly.

The year 2021 began with another back operation. In January 2021, Woods underwent his fifth microdiscectomy. This was supposed to put him out of action for the 2021 season, but just a few weeks later, in February 2021, he was involved in a serious car accident that once again brought his career to the brink. Woods suffered multiple fractures to his right leg, foot and ankle, requiring emergency surgery. Woods almost lost his leg in this accident; according to the doctors treating him at the time, amputation was a possibility. Since then, his biggest problem is no longer his back, but his mobility. In a few appearances on Tour since then, Woods has emphasized that walking is the biggest difficulty for his battered body.

Achilles tendon rupture - Tiger Woods injured again

His comeback was difficult. In April 2022, he entered the Masters and even made the cut. A short time later at the PGA Championship, however, he had to pull out of the tournament due to physical problems. In April 2023, ongoing problems led to an operation on his right ankle to treat post-traumatic arthritis, a long-term consequence of his car accident. This operation meant another ten-month break.

Even in 2024 and 2025, further injuries continued to affect his tournament schedule. In September 2024, it was announced that he had undergone a sixth back operation (micro-compression of the lumbar spine) due to nerve compression. And in March 2025, it was announced that he had suffered another left Achilles tendon tear, which required surgery and effectively ended his 2025 season. At least Woods was able to play show matches in the "TGL" league founded by him and Rory McIlroy between January and March and once again present himself to golf fans on the (virtual) golf course. It is not impossible that he will ever play regularly for trophies and titles again, but it is hard to imagine due to his long injury list. On the other hand, Woods has often managed to surprise the golfing world with comebacks thanks to his mentality, dedication and passion.