Tiger Woods Undergoes Achilles Surgery

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Tiger Woods has confirmed he will miss the 2025 Masters after undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in his left leg.

The 15-time major champion announced the news on social media, explaining that the injury occurred during an intense training session at his home in Florida.

“As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured,” Woods wrote. He underwent a minimally invasive procedure performed by Dr. Charlton Stucken at the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida. “The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery,” Dr. Stucken said in a statement.

While the operation was successful, Woods did not provide a timeline for his recovery. Achilles tendon injuries typically require extensive rehabilitation, with recovery times ranging from six to nine months. This casts doubt on whether Woods will be able to compete in any major tournaments this year.

Woods’ absence from Augusta marks only the second time he will miss the Masters since turning professional in 1996, the first being in 2021 after his near-fatal car crash. Last year, he set a tournament record by making the cut for the 24th consecutive time but missed cuts at all three other majors. His last competitive appearance was at The Open Championship in July 2024.

This latest setback adds to Woods’ long history of injuries and surgeries. Over the past decade, he has undergone multiple back surgeries, including one as recently as September 2024. Additionally, Woods has previously dealt with issues in his left Achilles tendon, withdrawing from The Players Championship in 2011 due to a similar injury.

In February 2021, Woods suffered severe injuries to his right leg and ankle in a car accident that required emergency surgery and prolonged rehabilitation. Despite these challenges, he made a remarkable comeback to win the Masters in 2019, his most recent major victory.

The Achilles injury comes during an already difficult period for Woods, who has been grieving the loss of his mother, Kultida Woods, who passed away on February 4, 2025. He had planned to return to competitive golf at the Genesis Invitational last month but withdrew, citing emotional readiness.

Woods also participated in several matches for TGL, his indoor golf league co-founded with Rory McIlroy, but has not competed in a traditional PGA Tour event this year.

As Woods focuses on recovery and rehabilitation, questions remain about his future in professional golf. His absence from The Players Championship earlier this month marked the end of his automatic eligibility for that event based on his 2019 Masters win. Fans and analysts alike are now speculating whether this latest injury could signal the twilight of one of golf’s most storied careers.

For now, Woods remains optimistic about his recovery but offered no promises about when—or if—he will return to competitive play.