Following his withdrawal from The Masters, it was confirmed that Tiger Woods had undergone a “successful” ankle surgery but could be out for at least six months.
On the last Sunday, the 15-time major champion withdrew from this year’s tournament at Augusta National ahead of the resumption of the third round. Leading up to the event, cameras caught Woods hobbling more than normal as he finished his play in the rainy conditions that Saturday. Woods was six over through his first seven holes and nine over through 43 holes before citing a plantar fasciitis injury.
According to Wood’s Twitter, he says “Earlier today, Tiger Woods underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture…It was performed by Dr Martin O’Malley at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York City. He has determined the surgery to be successful. Tiger is currently recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation. “
However, the statement did not specify a timeline for Woods’ recovery process or return to competitive action. Woods, 47, appears as a major doubt for next month’s PGA Championship, with his chances of playing at the US Open in June and Open Championship in July being unclear as well.
The golf icon’s competitive appearances have been sporadic since suffering severe leg injuries after a car crash. Fans began to question his future in the game, with Woods himself feeling unsure about how much longer he can continue.
“The difficulty here [Augusta National] is the walk, it’s just such a tough walk for everybody and so I think it had to happen for his sake. Will we see him again? Gosh, I hope so.”
