Tiger Woods wont rule out playing in Masters

Tiger Woods turned 50 in December.

He’s 4 months eliminated from disk substitute surgical procedure in his decrease back — the same back that has endured six other operations, including spinal fusion in 2017.

Woods received’t be participating in this week’s Genesis Invitational, a event he has hosted since 2020, as he continues to recuperate from that process. The 15-time major championship winner told reporters at Riviera Country Club on Tuesday that he has been in a position to start taking full golf photographs during his training.

Still, the 2026 Masters event is less than two months away. So contemplating every little thing talked about above, it might appear fairly unlikely that Woods could be prepared to compete in the first major championship of the 12 months.

Right?

Well, a reporter requested Woods fairly merely, “Is the Masters off the table for you?”

Woods gave an even less complicated reply.

“No,” he said without hesitation or additional elaboration. He did give a slight smile after a temporary pause, for what that’s price.

It ought to come as no shock that Woods could be doing every little thing he can to give you the option to play April 9-12 at Augusta National. He has received the event 5 instances, most just lately in 2019.

Woods famously performed in the 2022 Masters just 14 months after a catastrophic rollover car accident — and really made the cut before ending at 13-over par. He last performed the Masters in 2024, making the cut for a file twenty fourth time but completed with a 16-over 304, his highest 72-hole rating.

Woods missed all of the 2025 season as he recovered from a back surgical procedure the earlier 12 months and surgical procedure for a ruptured Achilles tendon in March. He spoke Tuesday on the a number of challenges he faces in trying to return to the PGA Tour and also introduced up the likelihood of playing on the PGA Champions circuit.

“The disc replacement has been one thing. It’s been a challenge to have had a fused back and now a disc replacement. So it’s challenging,” said Woods, who added that his back is still sore following the most current process.

“And I entered a new decade. So that number is starting to sink in and has [me] thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart. That’s something that, as I’ve said, I won’t do out here on this tour, because I don’t believe in it. But you know, on the Champions tour, that’s certainly an opportunity.”