If the two-time Wimbledon champion gets the green light, he still faces a challenging path due to ongoing back issues. Golf superstar Tiger Woods has faced similar struggles, with his career significantly impacted by back injuries.
Woods, now 48, has dealt with nine different back problems since 2013, resulting in four surgeries. His back issues first became evident during the 2013 St. Jude Championship when he was seen doubled over in pain from back spasms in the final round.
The problem resurfaced during the 2014 Honda Classic, forcing Woods to withdraw. It was discovered he had a pinched nerve in his back, requiring surgery and causing him to miss the Masters for the first time in his career. He returned in August 2014 but suffered another back injury shortly after.
A break from the game didn’t help much either. Despite playing little golf between August and the following February, Woods injured his back again during a poor performance at the 2015 Farmers Insurance Open.
Woods underwent microdiscectomy surgery to address the issue, returning to golf in 2016. However, just six weeks later, he needed a follow-up procedure to alleviate back discomfort.
In 2017, his back spasms returned, necessitating another surgery to treat a disc issue in his lower back. Personal life challenges hindered his recovery, but after four back surgeries, his persistent problems were reduced to occasional discomfort.
In 2019, Woods achieved a historic comeback by winning his 15th major title at the Masters, an accomplishment hailed by experts as one of the greatest sporting comebacks in history.
