Share

Woods' agent slams 'false' reports

Los Angeles - Tweets indicating Tiger Woods has suffered a serious setback in his return from a third back surgery are "absolutely false" the 14-time major golf champion's agent Mark Steinberg said on Monday.

Twitter posts from two different handles - one of them long time golf writer Robert Lusetich - suggest that the 40-year-old superstar's rehabilitation was not going well and that his condition had deteriorated.

"The tweets that appeared this weekend about Tiger's health are ridiculous, and absolutely false," Steinberg said in a statement. "It's reprehensible that every few months someone makes something up and it's treated like a real story.

 "Tiger continues to work on his rehabilitation and we will have an accurate update at the appropriate time."

According to the Twitter handle Secret Tour Pro, Woods was eyeing a return to golf in May at the Players Championship in Florida but that plan has been scrapped due to the lack of progress with his health.

Lusetich posted in a tweet:"I'm told #TigerWoods condition worsened. He can't move well; painful to sit. Sits in car with seat fully reclined. No foreseeable return. Sad."

As recently as last Friday, Steinberg told ESPN there was no update on Woods's status.

Woods hasn't played competitively since August of 2015, when he tied for 10th at the Wyndham Championship.

Woods, who turned 40 in December, had micro discectomy surgery on March 31 of 2014 to treat a herniated disk.

He underwent a second procedure on September 16, 2015 to deal with a disk fragment that was pinching a nerve, and six weeks later underwent another procedure to address continuing discomfort.

He said during the World Challenge tournament he hosted in December that there was no timetable for his return, telling reporters: "Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don't know."

 Woods's 14 major titles - the last won in 2008 - are four shy of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18. He owns 79 PGA Tour victories, three off the career best held by Sam Snead, the most recent coming at the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational in 2013 - one of five wins for him that season.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE