Tiger Woods provided an update on the injured ankle that forced him to withdraw from the 2023 Masters in April. Having since undergone fusion surgery on the ankle, the 15-time major champion confirmed it was no longer a line item on his laundry list of injuries, and that the areas surrounding the ankle are now of focus.
“My ankle is fine. Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever,” Woods told the Associated Press. “That pain is completely gone. It’s the other areas that have been compensated for … all the surrounding areas is where I had all my problems and I still do. So you fix one, others have to become more hypermobile to get around it, and it can lead to some issues.”
Woods, who announced Tuesday that he will serve as player-owner in the inaugural season of TGL he founded with Rory McIlroy, has not been seen on televisions since withdrawing from the Masters in the third round at Augusta National after making the cut for a record-tying 23rd time. This past week, however, Woods emerged to caddy for his son, Charlie, in the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship. Naturally, social media took notice.
Woods’ seemingly limp-free walk comes as the event he hosts in the Bahamas, the Hero World Challenge which runs from from Nov. 30 to Dec 3, quickly approaches. Announcing the 20-man field last month, Woods left one spot open for minds to wander. It remains unlikely Woods becomes the 20th and final man in the field, however, as walking 72 holes would be required with the event sanctioned by the PGA Tour.
“I’m pretty sore after caddying for four days,” Woods said. “It was a flat course, thank God.”
Instead, the 47-year-old is more likely to team up with Charlie in the PNC Championship for the third straight year. Taking place Dec. 14-17, the PNC Championship would allow Woods to utilize a golf cart — like he did in 2021 and 2022 — given the event’s ties to the PGA Tour Champions.
Woods has played in just five tournaments since he was seriously injured and hospitalized following a single-car crash in February 2021. The 82-time PGA Tour winner has been met with a mixed bag, making four cuts but having to withdraw over the weekend on two occasions.