On Tuesday, Tiger Woods and his team announced that the pro golfer has undergone back surgery to deal with a pinched nerve that had been troubling him.
The 45-year-old has had similar issues in the past. This will be his fifth surgery on his back in the last seven years. In 2014, Woods had his first surgery on his back for a pinched nerve and missed out on The Masters.
In 2015, Woods underwent a second microdiscectomy surgery to deal with another pinched nerve. Yet, his back pains continued and he had a third surgery not long after. In 2017, the pro golfer revealed that he had a fourth back procedure. Woods and his team are hoping that this fifth surgery will alleviate his health issues. But his track record leaves room for skepticism. His team released a statement on Twitter about his fifth surgery.
“Tiger has recently undergone a microdiscectomy procedure to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching his nerve after experiencing discomfort following the PNC Championship,” the statement explained.
Woods’ doctors have relayed that the surgery was successful and they expect the golfer “to make a full recovery.”
“I look forward to begin training and am focused on getting back out on Tour,” Woods added.
Additionally, the statement also stated that Tiger Woods will not be competing in his next two scheduled tournaments. They include The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines and The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in February. He will still fulfill his duties of tournament host at The Genesis Invitational.
Tiger Woods and His Son Play in Father-Son Tournament
Tiger Woods felt discomfort in his back again while playing in the PNC Championship with his 11-year-old son, Charlie. The pair played in the 20-team tournament back in mid-December.
Although they did not win the tournament, the main attraction throughout was the world getting its first glimpse at Woods’ son on a golf course. Charlie handled the moment in the spotlight well and made his father proud during the weekend. At times the younger Woods looked like the spitting image of his dad; swing, follow-through, fist pump and all.
In fact, Charlie set up the father-son pairing for an eagle with an impressive 175-yard shot that rolled within a few feet of the pin. The 11-year-old stepped up and finished off the eagle with a solid putt. His father couldn’t hide his excitement as he gave his son a high five and made sure to note the occasion.
“That’s your first eagle,” Woods said to his son with a huge smile.
Later, Woods revealed how special the weekend was for him and Charlie when fielding questions from reporters.
“I don’t think words can describe it. Just the fact that we were able to have this experience together, Charlie and I. It’s memories for a lifetime,” Woods explained.
