Tiger Woods injury timeline: A comprehensive look at all of Woods' ailments

Tiger Woods is once again facing a protracted spell on the sidelines. 

Woods confirmed in March 2025 that he ruptured his left Achilles tendon while he was ramping up his practice sessions ahead of The Masters. 

The 15-time major champion said that his surgery was a success and he's expected to make a full recovery. 

His good friend Rory McIlroy later revealed that he will miss The Open, U.S. Open and U.S. PGA Championship and 'hopes' to see him compete in 2026. 

It is the latest setback for the hall of famer. 

GolfMagic has decided to take a look back at all of the ailments that have caused the golfer to take time off from the game. 

Tiger Woods career injury timeline

1994:

After his first semester at Stanford, Woods had surgery to remove scar tissue and two tumours from his left knee.

He would later be forced to withdraw from his first U.S. Open due to the injury.

2002:

Woods had a second procedure to drain fluid around his left ACL and remove several cysts.

2007:

While running on a golf course, Woods ruptured his ACL but played through the rest of the season despite sporadic bouts of pain.

2008:

The lingering pain in his left knee from his running injury made him decide to undergo surgery after The Masters.

Whilst in hospital the doctors informed him of two stress fractures in his left tibia and advised him on crutches for three weeks.

He ignored their advice the week of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and won his 14th major title.

Later in December, he injured his right Achilles while running in the offseason.

2010:

His Achilles injury returned.

And Woods was forced to withdraw from one of his favourite tournaments - The Players Championship - because of a neck injury that kept him out of action for a few weeks. 

2011:

In the third round of The Masters, Woods' shot from the pine straw under the Eisenhower tree on the 17th resulted in him spraining his MCL in his left knee, and a mild strain to his left Achilles tendon.

2012:

Due to further pain in his left Achilles tendon, Woods withdrew from the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March.

2013:

Woods was sidelined in June due to an elbow strain.

Then in August back spasms caused Woods to collapse on the floor in one of the most famous scenes during the final round of The Barclays.

This marked the beginning of his back woes. 

2014:

Back issues continued as Woods withdrew from the Honda Classic.

Woods missed The Masters for the first time since 1994 as he underwent a microdiscectomy for a pinched nerve.

He then took a four-month break from the game after the PGA Championship where he missed the cut.

2015:

Another back issue occurred, causing Woods to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open and take two months out.

Woods also had a second microdiscectomy in September.

A month later he had to return to the same neurosurgeon who performed his previous two back surgeries to relieve discomfort in the area.

2017:

Returning to golf in 2017, it didn't take long for Woods to withdraw from another event citing back spasms.

In April, aged 42, Woods underwent his fourth back surgery and missed another Masters.

He made his long-awaited return at the Hero World Challenge in December, seven months later.

2019:

Shortly before Woods claimed his 15th major in April, he withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational with neck pain.

Two years after his last back surgery, Woods had his fifth knee surgery in August, undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair minor cartilage damage.

A couple of months later Woods won the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan, tying Sam Snead's record for PGA Tour wins.

2021:

In January, Woods had yet another microdiscectomy procedure to remove a pressurised disc fragment that was pinching a nerve.

Then, in February, Woods sustained traumatic injuries to his right leg and ankle when he crashed his luxury Genesis SUV in the Los Angeles hills, sparking fears his career was over. 

2022:

Incredibly, Woods successfully made the cut at The Masters in his first major since his crash. 

Woods also made the cut at the PGA Championship but was forced to withdraw after the third round. 

It was later revealed that a metal rod in his right foot protruded the skin. 

2023:

Woods again was successful in making the cut at The Masters.

But he withdrew during the third round and looked in visible agony on the golf course. 

It was then confirmed he was suffering from plantar fasciitis. 

That prompted subtalar fusion surgery in his right ankle. 

2024:

In September, Woods had his sixth back surgery to help prevent spasms. 

2025:

On 11 March, Woods underwent surgery after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while increasing the intensity of training and practice at home.