Tiger Woods undergoes second back surgery, plans to return in 2016
Tiger Woods announced Friday that he has undergone successful back surgery but plans to return to golf in early 2016.
•
1 min read
Tiger Woods announced Friday that he had successful back surgery Wednesday and expects to return to golf in the early portion of the 2016 season.
Woods, who made the announcement via his website TigerWoods.com, had microdiscectomy surgery on his back for the second time, the first coming nearly two-and-a-half years ago in March 2014.
"This is certainly disappointing, but I'm a fighter," Woods said in a statement. "I've been told I can make a full recovery, and I have no doubt that I will."
He added: "I appreciate the fans' concern and support. This is unfortunate, but these things happen. I've been injured before and played again. It won't be any different this time."
According to Dr. Charles Rich, who performed the surgery at the Park City Medical Center in Utah, Woods had a “small disc fragment that was pinching his nerve” removed from his back. He was discharged from the hospital Thursday night and plans to begin soft tissue treatment next week.
In late August at the Wyndham Championship, where Woods shot 64-65 on Thursday and Friday and looked to be in contention before faltering over the weekend, he complained of a hip injury and insisted that his back was fine. "It's not my back, no," he said at the time. "Just my hip."
However, an examination to find the source of the discomfort determined that while Woods felt most of the pain in his hip, it was actually eminating from his back.
Woods originally planned to open the 2015-16 season by playing in the Frys.com Open, followed by the Bridgestone America's Golf Cup and Hero World Challenge, but he will no longer be able to play in those events.
