Tiger Woods has teased golf fans by dropping another hint that he could make a stunning return at the Masters.
The 50-year-old underwent a seventh back surgery in October and is also recovering from a torn Achilles sustained last March. Those latest injuries to his battered body sparked more fears over whether Woods would ever return to competitive golf.
On Saturday, he joined the CBS broadcasting crew during the third round of the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he hosts at Riviera Country Club in California.
Woods was asked if there is a possibility he could play at Augusta National in April. ‘There is,’ the 15-time major champion told CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman.
‘I know I’ll be there… Trev and I are going to be part of a great dinner,’ Woods joked in reference to the annual Champions Dinner. ‘I know a lot of people that are playing.’
When pressed on whether he would play a tournament before the Masters, Woods admitted: ‘I don’t know. Whether it’s regular tour, senior tour, or member-guest, I don’t know!’
Tiger Woods is a 15-time major winner and has won the Masters five times across his career
The 50-year-old is a five-time Masters champion, most recently in 2019, and he recently revealed that he is back to hitting full shots.
‘I don’t feel 50 – I feel a hell of a lot older,’ Woods joked to CBS. ‘It’s good to be back a little bit, I just wish I could be out here this week playing with these guys.’
This is not the first time he has hinted at a possible return at Augusta. Earlier this week, Woods said an appearance is not off the table. But the last time the 15-time major champion played an official event was at the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
‘I’m trying, put it that way,’ he said on Tuesday. ‘The disc replacement has been one thing. I’ve had a fused back and now a disc replacement, so it’s challenging.
‘And now I entered a new decade, so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart.
‘That’s something that, as I said, I won’t do out here on this tour because I don’t believe in it. But on the Champions Tour, that’s certainly that opportunity.’
Woods, who also said he is considering taking on the role of Ryder Cup captain for the United States in 2027, added: ‘My body has been through a lot… each and every day I keep trying, I keep progressing, trying to get it to a level that I can play at the highest level.’
Woods’ son Charlie, 17, recently took a huge step on his own golf journey when he committed to Florida State University. ‘It’s a big moment,’ Woods Snr said on CBS on Saturday, revealing that ‘it was a very difficult decision’ for his son.
