Is It Finally Time For Tiger Woods To Walk Away From Professional Golf?

Tiger Woods has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and, sadly, the surgeries still seem to be coming year after year as the great man approaches his 50th birthday in December.

Woods' latest time out will be another long stretch after rupturing a tendon in his left achilles, which required surgery this week.

It means the 15-time Major winner will almost certainly miss all four Majors this year, with the prospect of any competitive golf before he turns 50 pointing towards the PNC Championship in December, where he could ride in a cart for 36-holes while partnering his son, Charlie.

Whether he'll even be ready by then remains to be seen.

This new injury once again poses the question of whether father time has truly caught up with Woods' professional career, which is a question we asked to four of our writers...

Nick Bonfield

I thought Tiger Woods was finished before his serious car crash in early 2021 and I've seen nothing since then to suggest I'm wrong. I'd go so far as to say that if you don't think he's done as an elite golfer (I'm not talking about playing on the Champions Tour), you're delusional.

It's time to stop dining out on his past achievements and accept reality. I don't care that he's won 15 Majors and is arguably the greatest golfer ever – you need a functioning body to be able to compete at the highest level and, sadly, he just doesn't have that.

Back surgeries, knee surgeries, ankle surgeries and now an achilles surgery... where does it end?

Since the start of 2023, Woods has played seven golf tournaments. His best result in that time was a 60th-place finish at the 2024 Masters – actually a really impressive achievement given he could barely walk the course.

In the other six events, he has three missed cuts, two withdrawals and an 18th... but that came in the Hero World Challenge, a tournament with a 20-man field.

He simply can't play enough competitive golf to regain his sharpness and I don't see that changing as he gets older.

Tiger, it's been a great ride, but perhaps it's time to let it go.

Jonny Leighfield

Maybe this Achilles injury is the straw that broke the camel's back, but it seems like Woods' time as a legitimately competitive golfer ended once he was involved in that 2021 car crash.

His last run of top-level results was early 2020 and the number of injuries and surgeries he has experienced since is more than anyone could handle.

On the one hand, it's been awesome to watch Woods try and overcome his regular injury battles and maintain that hope he could reach PGA Tour title No.83, but it doesn't look like the 49-year-old will be able to create history and you have to wonder if he isn't able to win, why is he still playing?

I have so much empathy and respect for a man who ruled the world of golf for 20 years, especially in terms of his desire to carry on competing, but I think those days are long behind Woods and it would be better for his own peace of mind if he only played socially or in exhibition events from time to time.

Thank you, Tiger, but it's time to say goodbye.

Matt Cradock

I've always been a huge fan of Woods and his ability to overcome any challenge that comes his way but, following the news of his Achilles surgery, it's got to a point where I think his career maybe should be coming to an end.

I hate to say it, especially with what he has done for the game of golf, but I personally think he needs to call it a day before it's too late.

We see in combat sports fighters who fought well past their prime and, when you see them step into the ring, it's not pleasant to watch. With Woods, I'm getting that same feeling.

The man made golf his own for decades and I have nothing but respect for who I believe is the greatest player to walk this planet.

However, with the injuries and age catching up, I'd much rather see the prize fighter leave the game before the game leaves him...

Elliott Heath

It would be very easy for me to write something very similar to my colleagues above...but I just can't.

Remember who we're discussing here. This isn't your standard 49-year-old pro who has had in excess of 20 surgeries on his back, leg, knees and feet. Anyone else would walk away but this is Tiger Woods.

If he wanted to give up, he surely would have called it a day following that LA car crash in 2021, or perhaps decided to hang up the clubs after his sixth back surgery in September.

Woods has had a very difficult time of it recently, and for a very long time to be fair, and his mother's passing has clearly rocked him - to the point where he didn't even want to practice in order to get ready for a return. Some time away might be what he needs.

He will be out for the remainder of the season and probably tee it up at the PNC Championship again in December while riding in his cart, and we'll be back to where we were a couple of months ago come January 2026.

He'll rehab his injury, rest his body - perhaps sort the PGA Tour-PIF deal out - and then do what Tiger Woods does, which is push his body further than almost anyone would, grind on his game and try to win golf tournaments again.

He'll be 50 this time next year, which sounds old and he certainly won't be a young 50 with his shopping list of injuries, but deep down I'm sure he'll believe that if he is healthy he can still compete with today's top stars.

He's in The Masters and PGA Championship for life, he's in The Open for another decade and he'll be able to tee it up in the likes of the US Senior Open and Senior Open next year.

Give him some time to heal and I'm sure he'll be back playing some good golf eventually. Whether he can still mix it with the world's best next year is all down to his body and if he can get enough tournament rounds in.

If he can play the PNC and get some of the rust off at the Genesis Invitational then rest assured we'll all be reminiscing as he rolls back the years and makes the cut at Augusta for the 25th consecutive occasion next year.