Tiger Woods feels good after back surgery, eyes golf return

Tiger Woods says the decision to undergo his most recent back surgery was all about quality of life and declared: “I haven’t felt this good in years”.

Woods went under the knife last month following persistent issues that drove him to a point where action needed to be taken.

“I could no longer live with the pain I had,” Woods wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. “We tried every possible non-surgical route and nothing worked.

“I had good days and bad days, but the pain was usually there, and I couldn’t do much. Even lying down hurt. I had nerve pain with anything I did and was at the end of my rope.”

That pain kept him from playing in the Masters and surgery came shortly afterward, providing what Woods called “instant nerve relief.”

“It has been just over a month since I underwent fusion surgery on my back, and it is hard to express how much better I feel,” he continued.

“It was instant nerve relief. I haven’t felt this good in years.

The timeline for a potential return to tournament play remains unclear, but Woods said he is not allowed to twist his body for another two-and-a-half to three months.

With that in mind, Woods says he is focusing on short-term goals and “not looking ahead,” but there’s no question about his ultimate objective.

“As for returning to competitive golf, the long-term prognosis is positive,” he wrote. “My surgeon and physiotherapist say the operation was successful. It’s just a matter of not screwing up and letting it fuse.

“I’m walking and doing my exercises, and taking my kids to and from school. All I can do is take it day by day. There’s no hurry.

“But, I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again.”