Tiger Woods, one of the most iconic figures in the sport of golf, has faced numerous ups and downs throughout his legendary career.
As he approaches the twilight of his time in professional golf, the question on everyone’s mind is the same: what does the future hold for Tiger Woods, the golfing legend?
Let’s delve into the latest updates and projections for his continuing journey.
Tiger Woods Injury Timeline
Woods has had a long career, but he’s also dealt with a surprising number of injuries. His first major surgery happened before he even turned pro— in 1994, aged 18, he had 2 benign tumors and movement-limiting scar tissue removed from his left knee.
The young champion came back strong and turned pro in 1996. His next surgery came at the age of 26 when he needed a benign cyst removed from the same knee.
2006 was a cracker of a year for Woods, nailing five consecutive wins in the summer. But he also suffered a shoulder injury, and instead of resting through it,
Woods pushed through the pain and strain to win another prominent victory (World Golf Championships-American Express).
In 2007, another blow befell Tiger—he ruptured his ACL while on a run. Refusing surgery, Woods once again pushed through and ended up winning 5 of his next six tournaments. 2008 brought him two knee surgeries, a fractured tibia, and a torn Achilles.
For the first time since going pro, Woods fell to number 5 in the Official World Golf Rankings. His older injuries came back to bite him, with his knee and Achilles tendon giving him trouble throughout the next few years.
After fighting his way back to number one in 2014, 38-year-old Tiger was hit with a back injury, which marked the beginning of a rough few years dotted by surgeries.
By 2016, Woods had fallen to number 292 in the world, and in 2021, a car accident left the renowned golfer with severe leg and ankle injuries.
Despite Woods himself saying his professional career was over at this point, he continues to be one of the best golfers in the world.
Tiger’s 2024 So Far
Woods has had a rough year so far. He’s taken part in just 4 PGA events, missed the cut in 2 of them, withdrew from one, and finished the Masters in 60th place at 16 over par.
At the time of writing this, Woods is ranking 859th in the Official World Golf Rankings. He’s been struck down by the flu this year, but that’s not what’s holding him back from climbing the rankings again.
Going on 50, Tiger Woods’ old injuries are coming back to bite him this year. Inflammation, stiffness, and a fused right ankle make it hard for Woods to keep playing like he used to. Flare-ups strike at inopportune moments, making his golfing success in 2024 uncertain but unlikely.
What’s Still to Come In 2024/2025?
Tiger himself has stated that he has only one more event in his 2024 calendar—most likely the Open Championship at Royal Troon. In the legend’s own words, “One more event, and then I’ll come back whenever I come back.”
He’s not just sitting around, though. Woods was recently granted a lifetime exemption to the PGA Tour, meaning he doesn’t need to make the cut to be allowed to play the PGA Tour Signature events.
We can expect to see him making an appearance in various PGA events in the coming years—he loves the sport too much not to stay involved, although his injuries mean he’ll never rise to his former glory again.
Woods has been named the 2025 US Ryder Cup captain, so there’s still some excitement to come for the former #1, as long as he remains uninjured between now and then.
What is Tiger Woods Doing Now?
Since last year, Tiger Woods has been on the PGA Tour Policy Board, as a Player Director. He’s also partnered up with TaylorMade to create his own golf apparel line, called Sun Day Red. The line was launched in early 2024, and features Woods’ signature red shirt and other new designs.
However, as the older Woodsman begins to slow down, the younger one steps up. Charlie Woods, now 15 years old, is already becoming a promising junior golfer with the backing of the finest the world has ever seen.
Woods Junior has recently climbed to number 38 in the junior rankings, emerging victorious at the qualifier for the 2024 US Junior Amateur and preparing to compete in his first-ever USGA tournament as July comes to a close.
The senior Woods also credits his son with being his unofficial swing coach—the youngster has “seen me hit more golf balls than anyone,” according to his famous dad.
As for Woods Senior, apparently he’s been considering joining the 2026 US Senior Open, where the rules may be relaxed enough to allow the champion to ride in a golf cart, taking stress off his frozen ankle and allowing him to do what he does best once again—entertain us with his talent.
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Can we expect to see the same level of golfing genius from Tiger Woods as 2024 wraps up? If you’re imagining the Tiger of old, probably not.
But he’s made it clear that he’s not disappearing from the game—we may soon see the US Senior Open becoming his new space to shine.
While we don’t know where Wood might end up, we do know one thing—his determination to be involved in the world of golf means we’ll definitely be seeing him in the years to come.
In what capacity, we’re not sure (neither is he, by the sounds of it), but Tiger Woods isn’t disappearing any time soon.
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
