Tiger Woods is probably never going to retire on his own terms.
Generationally great athletes like him rarely know when, let alone how, to walk away. When you’ve been at the mountaintop for so long, when you’ve trained yourself to turn every doubt into fuel, when you’ve won again and again against all odds, why wouldn’t you think this can last forever?
Like Tom Brady, Michael Jordan and many GOATs before them, Tiger’s brain was never going to accept that it was time to hang it up. Only his body could do that. This week, his body sent him the clearest signal yet: A ruptured Achilles tendon that ended his latest comeback bid before it could even begin.
Woods announced the injury, and subsequent surgery, on Tuesday — just as the world’s best golfers were congregating for THE PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass, where Tiger has won twice and created countless more memories for his fans.
Tiger Woods injury history: Recent ailments including a torn Achilles
Given what we know about his injury history and what it takes to come back from a torn Achilles, that’s probably a wrap on the competitive career of Eldrick Woods.
As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured.
This morning, Dr. Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon… pic.twitter.com/KAVZfcRxlE
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 11, 2025
The last time we saw Woods in either a PGA Tour or major tournament was when he missed The Open cut at Royal Troon last July. He’ll have turned 50 by the time the next PGA season starts. Only four golfers over that age remain on Tour, and that’s assuming he’s recovered enough to play next March. Even the otherwise healthiest individuals still need a full calendar year to come back from such a grueling rehab.
In Woods’ case, this is seventh known surgery he’s required in the last 10 years. September saw Woods undergo microdecompression surgery on the lumbar spine to relieve pain in his lower back. He was hoping to make it back in time for THE PLAYERS and even teed it up on Monday this week at the famed Seminole Pro-Member tournament with a few other Tour stalwarts.
That was after Woods admitted it’d been hard getting back into the game following the passing of his mother, Kultida.
“I haven’t really gotten into it,” Woods told reporters. “My heart is not really into practicing right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the tour and trying to do other things.”
Maybe he proves everyone wrong one last time. Maybe golf fans of a certain age need to hold onto that hope. But that’s all it is at this point. Hope that one day we’ll see Woods perform another miracle with a golf ball.
Between the injuries, the mental strain of losing someone so close to his heart and career and, of course, Woods’ refusal to use a golf cart even with an exemption, everything is adding up the inevitable. Woods will still enjoy the spotlight because he’s still Tiger Woods. He can still play in his TGL league. He can still help the PGA navigate the incredibly rough terrain amid a merger with LIV. He just can’t hold up to the rigors of playing on the PGA Tour anymore.
It’s time to hang it up, Tiger.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Tiger Woods’ Achilles injury clearest sign it’s time to retire
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