This week, Tiger Woods is teeing it up at the Hero World Challenge — the first time he will play competitively since withdrawing from the third round of the Masters earlier this year.
The comeback marks Woods’ latest in a long list of injury-related setbacks that date back to 2008. How will Woods handle this week’s test, walking 72 holes on a surgically repaired ankle? Time will tell, but looking at his comeback history may provide some clues. How has he fared in each return? Take a look at his results below.
Tiger Woods’ injury comeback results since 2003
January 2003: Woods won the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in his first competitive start after undergoing left-knee surgery in December, which removed fluid from his ACL.
June 2008: Woods famously won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines after having arthroscopic surgery in April to repair cartilage damage to his left knee following his runner-up finish at the Masters. In visible pain throughout the U.S. Open, Woods was also suffering from stress fractures in his left tibia.
February 2009: Woods finished runner-up to Tim Clark at the WGC-Match Play in his first start after undergoing surgery on his left knee in the aftermath of his U.S. Open victory in June.
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August 2011: Woods finished T37 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after withdrawing from the Players Championship in May to recover from an MCL ligament sprain in his left knee as well as his left Achilles’ tendon.
March 2012: Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational after a two-week rest following his withdrawal from the WGC-Cadillac Championship’s final round, citing an injury to his left Achilles tendon.
July 2013: Woods finished T6 at the Open Championship after missing the AT&T National in June with a left elbow strain.
June 2014: Woods missed the cut at the Quicken Loans National after undergoing surgery for a pinched nerve in his back in April.
February 2015: Woods finished T17 at the Masters after withdrawing mid-round at the Farmers Insurance Open in February with a back injury.
December 2016: Woods finished 15th at the Hero World Challenge after missing an entire year of competition while recovering from back-to-back surgeries in the fall of 2015: a microdiscectomy and a follow-up procedure shortly thereafter.
In Tiger Woods’ latest comeback, 2 things have clearly changed
December 2017: Woods finished T9 at the Hero World Challenge after missing another season of competition. Prior to the start, he had withdrawn from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February after one round, then announced another back surgery in April. In May, Woods was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He pled guilty to reckless driving in October.
October 2019: Woods won the Zozo Championship to match Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour wins after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in August.
April 2022: Woods finished 47th at the Masters after the longest competitive layoff of his career. Prior to the start, he had undergone a fifth microdiscectomy procedure on his back in January 2021 and endured significant injuries to his right leg and right ankle in a February 2021 car accident.
December 2023: TBD. Woods withdrew from the 2023 Masters citing a reaggravation of his plantar fasciitis. Shortly afterward, he announced that he had undergone a subtalar fusion procedure on his ankle.