Tiger Woods has sensationally left the door open for an appearance at The Masters later this year, despite significant concerns over his future in golf.
Woods, who recently turned 50, had his seventh back surgery in October and is also recovering from a torn Achilles sustained last March.
Both injuries sparked fears over if he would ever be able to return to golf at all but speaking Tuesday, the 15-time major winner dropped a huge hint over what the future holds.
Asked if an appearance at Augusta in April is off the table, Woods simply said: ‘No.’
Woods, who said he is back to hitting full golf shots, last played an official event in 2024, the British Open at Royal Troon, and still won’t put a timeline on his return to the game.
But his Masters comments indiciate it could be sooner than later.
Golf great Tiger Woods, who recently turned 50, had his seventh back surgery in October
‘I’m trying, put it that way,’ he said. ‘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, a five-time Masters winner, also said he is considering taking on the role of Ryder Cup captain for the United States ahead of the event in Ireland in 2027.
‘Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet,’ Woods said. ‘I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour.
‘That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA, and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.’
For now, however, Woods’ hint of a Masters return could galvanize the excitement for the tournament even further when it is held in Georgia in the spring.
Rory McIlroy, a close friend of Woods, finally heads into the event as defending champion with his first green jacket.
Woods also spoke about potentially becoming the USA Ryder Cup captain in 2027
Woods is a 15-time major winer and has won The Masters five times across his career
Last year’s victory made him just the sixth player in the history of golf to win all four majors – a feat Woods has also acheived.
Woods will not forcing anything though, despite the hype that his words will inevitably cause.
‘My body has been through a lot,’ he said. ‘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.’