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In less than two months, Tiger Woods could hit it up again at the historic Augusta National.
The five-time Masters champion did not rule out a return to the major after skipping it last year. When reporters asked Tuesday if he could compete at the Masters in April, Woods replied without elaborating, “No.”
Woods made the cut at the Masters for a record 24th consecutive time in 2024. He is leaving the door open despite recovering from his seventh back surgery, a procedure to replace a disc and a short-term schedule that does not appear to include competitive golf.
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Tiger Woods of the United States laughs during a practice round ahead of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I thought I spent a lot of hours practicing in my prime,” Woods said at the Genesis Invitational, alluding to the responsibility he shares in trying to reshape the PGA Tour schedule. “It cannot be compared to what we have done in the boardroom.”
Woods’ workload will likely factor into whether he assumes the US captaincy for the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland. He turned down the role two years ago, citing a lack of time to commit to the job in a meaningful way.
TIGER WOODS OFFERS FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE RECENT BACK SURGERY AMID GROWING CONCERN OVER GOLF RETURN
Woods celebrated his 50th birthday at the end of last year, making him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions.
He missed every PGA Tour event last year, marking the first time in Woods’ storied career that he missed a single tournament. He has also yet to compete in the indoor TGL league.
“Well, I try — put it that way,” he said, adding that he can hit full shots, but not every day “and not very well.”
Tiger Woods celebrates during the trophy presentation after winning the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia. (Allen Eyestone/The Augusta Chronicle)
He underwent surgery in March 2025 for a ruptured Achilles tendon, which is no longer holding him back. He said his lower back was sore and at his age, “It’s probably going to take me a little longer.”
“My body has been through a lot,” Woods said. “Every single day I keep trying, I keep making progress, I keep working at it, trying to get stronger, trying to get more stamina in this body and trying to get it to a level where I can play at the highest level again.”
His main interest is indoors. He is on the board of the PGA Tour and the commercial PGA Tour Enterprises, and heads the “Future Competition Committee,” which is trying to create a model to meet CEO Brian Rolapp’s goal of fewer tournaments that are more meaningful to the best players.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club waves to fans as he is introduced at the start of a TMRW Golf League (TGL) match against Boston Common Golf, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The only thing that is clear is that a new model will most likely not be ready in 2027. The committee has agreed on a big start to the season – it could be the week after or before the Super Bowl – to take the big events to bigger markets and become the must-see sport of the summer.
Woods also expressed his belief in the importance of creating a path for the next group of golf stars.
“We’re trying to create opportunities for that turnover … to get more young people out here because eventually they’re going to take over the game,” Woods said. “So trying to create that opportunity, trying to create the right competition model and the environment to foster that, that’s been the biggest challenge of it all.”
