The question in recent years has become when Tiger Woods will play again.
Well, the question is again surfacing after his latest back surgery. He had microdecompression surgery on his lower back Sept. 13 to relieve nerve impingement and back pain and hasn’t played competitively since the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July, where he missed the cut.
The initial field list had three open spots on it for this week’s Hero World Challenge, Woods’ event in the Bahamas. However, last week, Big Cat confirmed he wouldn’t be in the field.
In past years, the Hero has been a test site for Woods following surgeries to determine where his body is at and get some competitive reps. Not the case this year.
That begs the question: when will Tiger tee it up again? He said in 2024 he wanted to play once a month, and he ended up making five starts: the Genesis Invitational and four majors.
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Here’s a prediction of when we’ll see Woods play in the near future.
PNC Championship
As noted, he’s not teeing it up in the Bahamas this week, but the PNC Championship is much different than walking 72 holes of golf. It’s a 36-hole hit-and-giggle where Tiger could rely on son Charlie if he doesn’t want to exert his back too much and hit every shot. And he gets to ride in a cart. Team Woods has played every year since 2020.
Farmers Insurance Open
This is a stretch, for sure. Tiger hasn’t played in a non-major, sans the Genesis Invitational and Hero World Challenge, since 2020. But Torrey Pines is a place Tiger loves, and if he wants to try to play once a month still, why not go back to a place he’s familiar with and has dominated at?
Genesis Invitational
Another one of Tiger’s tournaments, Riviera has also been an event Woods has made an effort to play in, even around his surgeries and recoveries. Last year, Woods withdrew in the second round because of an illness. But if he can play, he’ll be at Riviera.
Players Championship
Another stretch. You’d have to go back to 2019 to find the last time Tiger played at TPC Sawgrass, but 2025 could be the year he makes his return to the place he has won twice, especially if he has a goal to play competitively once a month.
Masters
Tiger is a five-time winner at Augusta National and has tied the record for consecutive cuts made at the Masters (24). In 2025 he could take the record all for himself. Of any tournament he wants to be prepared for, this is the one, so expect Tiger to be as ready and in as competitive shape as possible so that he can head down Magnolia Lane.
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship returns to Quail Hollow, where Tiger won the Wachovia Championship in 2007. He’s also a four-time PGA Championship winner, and the warmer Charlotte weather in May should be good for his body.
U.S. Open
Woods finished T-2 in his one U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. He has called Oakmont one of the most difficult courses in the world.
Open Championship
Woods has played one time at Royal Portrush in 2019, missing the cut. The Open’s weather conditions are the roughest on his body, but if Woods is able to play all of the above events, his competitive shape will be more on par than what he has dealt with in past years, so there’s a chance his body could hold up better.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tiger Woods isn’t playing the Hero, but here’s when and where he might tee it up next
