Tiger Woods issues devastating update to dash comeback hopes

Look away now, Tiger Woods fans.

Tiger Woods’ comeback is off again.

Woods – who has not played competitively since last year’s 152nd Open – had originally planned to return at the Genesis Invitational, but he pulled out of that due to the death of his mother. He then decided against entering the Arnold Palmer Invitational or Players Championship as his “heart is really not into practicing right now”.

So it was full-steam ahead for another trip down Magnolia Lane.

Now, though, the 15-time major champion is unlikely to play again this year after undergoing yet more surgery.

Woods, as he so often does in these situations, issued a statement on his various social media accounts on Tuesday to explain that he ruptured his left Achilles tendon at his Jupiter home as he worked on a comeback at the Masters.

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“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,” he wrote.

“This morning, Dr Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida, performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon.”

Woods also noted that Dr Stucken said “the surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery”.

Woods, whose only appearances since that missed cut at Royal Troon have been in the PNC Championship and for Jupiter Links in TGL, added: “I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab, thank you for all the support.”

With Achilles surgery usually requiring a recovery period of nine months to a year, it is highly unlikely we’ll see Woods tee up in 2025.

It leaves the very real possibility that the next time we see the 49-year-old play is in a PGA Tour Champions event.

For now, though, it’s going to be another year of ‘What if?’