Rory McIlroy confirms Tiger Woods is out for the entire 2025 PGA Tour season

Rory McIlroy has confirmed the worst-feared news that Tiger Woods will indeed miss the entire 2025 PGA Tour season.

Woods, 49, took to social media on the eve of The Players Championship to reveal he had gone under the knife to treat a ruptured Achilles tendon.

McIlroy, 35, was pressed for comment during his pre-tournament press conference about the devastating news of his PGA Tour peer and TaylorMade Golf colleague. 

"Yeah, it sucks," said McIlroy. 

"He doesn't have much luck when it comes to injuries and his body. 

"Obviously he was trying to ramp up to get ready for Augusta, and Achilles surgeries obviously aren't fun. 

"Hoping he's in good spirits and hoping he's doing okay.

"We obviously won't see him play golf this year, and hopefully we see him maybe play in 2026."

McIlroy was then asked by a reporter whether he thinks the 15-time major champion can still be competitive if and when he returns to the game in 2026.

"He'll try," said World No.2 McIlroy. 

"I know he'll try. But that's a question for him, not for me. 

"I obviously don't know what's in his head. But judging by prior behavior, he'll definitely try."

Woods has not played in a competitive PGA Tour event since missing the cut at the 152nd Open at Royal Troon last July. 

The former World No.1 missed the cut in three majors last season with his only made cut coming at The Masters. 

Here's the graphic Woods posted to confirm his latest bad news: 

Woods' timeline for a return to the PGA Tour is unknown. 

At the turn of the year, Woods expressed a desire to play more events on the PGA Tour in a bid to be sharper for the major championships.

Woods was in the field for the Genesis Invitational in February but withdrew following the death of his mother Kultida.

He looked in good physical shape during TGL contests and many expected the golfer to tee it up at famed TPC Sawgrass this week at the coveted Players Championship.

Woods also recently took part in the uber-exclusive Seminole Pro-Member and therefore it gave his legion of fans reason to believe he would play in the PGA Tour's premiere event.

But on 6 March, Woods revealed after a TGL contest that his heart wasn't really in practising right now. 

Five days later, he confirmed he had undergone surgery after he ruptured his Achilles tendon. 

This is the sixth consecutive year that he has missed The Players Championship.

The 144-man field contains 48 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, although several star names such as Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith are missing given the LIV players remained banned.

Woods has won The Players twice. First in 2001 and again in 2013.

This is the final year of his exemption from winning the 2019 Masters.