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The 2025 golf season has delivered big moments and even bigger stories, but one name has been conspicuously absent: Tiger Woods.
Woods, who last competed in late 2024, had fans hopeful for an early-season comeback after undergoing back surgery. Those hopes were dashed when news broke of a ruptured left Achilles-a brutal setback for a player already battling time and health.
Now, we finally have a clearer picture. Dr. Robert Charlton, Woods's longtime physician, confirmed that the recovery is progressing well but slowly. "He's on track, but we're looking at a full return no earlier than the end of this year, maybe early 2026,"Charlton told reporters. That officially rules Tiger out of the U.S. Open and The Open, leaving his 2025 season effectively over.
The Clock Is Ticking-and the Tour Is Watching
Woods turns 50 in December. That milestone makes him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, and it's adding new pressure. Could Tiger pivot to the senior circuit rather than chase another PGA Tour comeback? Some believe it's only a matter of time.
"He has nothing left to prove-but everything to still give,"Fred Couples said in a recent Golf Channel interview. "We'd welcome him with open arms."
Tiger, though, hasn't commented on the idea. Instead, he let a recent video do the talking. Posted by Rolex, the short clip revisited a candid moment where Woods said, "The fire still burns to compete. That's never going to leave. The difference is, the recovery of the body to do it is not what it used to be."
It's a line that resonates more than ever.
Woods has dealt with a version of this injury before-back in 2011, when he withdrew from tournaments due to a left knee and Achilles issue. Then, he was back within three months. But this time, the surgery was more extensive, and the body... older.
For fans, the idea of seeing Tiger in red on a Sunday remains a hope. Whether that's at Augusta or on the Champions Tour is the real question now.
Until then, golf moves on. But it doesn't feel quite the same.