Tiger Woods has spoken to the media for a first occasion since his latest back surgery ahead of again hosting what is this week’s 11th edition of the Hero World Challenge.

And in a very thorough, some 30-minute interview in the media centre at The Bahamas, the 15-time major winner provided us with an update of his life post this seventh back surgery operation.

Woods also addressed matters relating to a revamping of the annual PGA Tour schedule while he addressed whether or not he’s been approached to act as 2027 US Ryder Cup team captain while he provided a wonderful insight into the changing face of golf.

Hereunder is a summary of Woods speaking in The Bahamas.

Tiger Taking The Proverbial:

• Tiger’s opening press conference comments came when asked his thoughts in playing on the 2026 Champions Tour:  “Yeah, I’m probably going to play probably 25 events on both tours and I think that should cover most of the year, right?

Health Update:

• On a serious note, Woods then opened up about his seventh back surgery earlier this year (a torn Achilles sidelined him for most of 2025). He said he’s feeling better but emphasized it’s a long road: “No, I’m just looking forward to just let me get back to playing again, let me do that and then I’ll kind of figure out what the schedule is going to be. I’m a ways away from that part of it and that type of decision, that type of commitment level.

  “Unfortunately, I’ve been through this rehab process before, it’s just step by step. Once I get

  a feel for practicing, exploding, playing, the recovery process, then I can assess where I’m going to play and how much I’ll play”. It his body ‘holds up’, Woods said he could start potentially with the 2026 Genesis Invitational.

Discussions with Tour & others PGA Tour tournament schedule changes:

• Woods as now President of the Players body saying: “I think that we can we can make the players who have equity in the tour we can give them more of that and so the financial windfall could be fantastic for everyone is involved. I think we’ve had three different meetings we got one coming up here we’ve turned down and looked at so many different models it’s been a lot we’ve talked to sponsors we talked to CMO we’ve talked to directors we’ve talked to media partners we’ve talked to different people. I’m taking a lot in what they would like to see and then it’s up to us at the committee to try and put it to altogether and try to make it work and keep the players informed to what is what possibly could happen and we want their opinions as well we’re being very transparent with all of this there’s something that we’ve been very absent and I have been very adamant about about this process is the transparency side of it and this is this is something that is gonna be fantastic for all of the fans for the players. I said it could be a financial windfall for everyone as of today I haven’t had any meetings yet please a lot of it’s as alluded to the amount of people that we’ve taken their opinions from and what they would like to see and how the torque could be better and how could be better run and I could be more efficient and and try and give and this is as I said this is all and based but it’s also doing what is best for the players and for everyone who’s involved”.

Competitive Outlook:

• No retirement talk—quite the opposite. “I believe I can still win,” he reiterated, drawing from his history of comebacks. Tiger says he sees the 2026 Hero event’s timing as a “positive step” into next year. “I just started to chip pot I just just started to lift in the gym I just started this process so just replacement takes time it’s longer it’s not as long as the fusion thank God but it’s gonna take time why do you want amount another comeback come back to what point I’d like to come back to playing golf again I haven’t played golf in a long time I spent a year but I’ve had a lot of things happen on and off a golf course has been tough and so my my passion to display I haven’t done that a long time display so I’ve had to sit on the sidelines for for a number of months and most of this year and quite frankly in the last year is the champion store more realistic”.

PNC Championship and playing alongside son, Charlie

• Tiger revealing it would be ‘unfair’ to his son Charlie if they chose to play though, as mentinoed above, not ruling out next year’s PGA Tour Genesis even in LA. “It’s a team event (PNC) and it wouldn’t be fair not only to my son but also wouldn’t be fair to another team that could play and could have that experience you’ve had for a number of years”. As for the Genesis Invitational:  “I said I don’t know you know I just started to chip and putt.  I just just started to lift in the gym.I just started this process so just replacement takes time. It’s longer it’s not as long as the fusion thank God but it’s gonna take time why do you want amount another comeback come back to what point I’d like to come back to playing golf again. I haven’t played golf in a long time I spent a year but I’ve had a lot of things happen on and off a golf course has been tough and so my my passion to display I haven’t done that a long time display so I’ve had to sit on the sidelines for for a number of months and most of this year and quite frankly in the last year is the champion store more realistic”.

TGL Delay: 

• Woods highlighted a silver lining in the tech-infused league (co-owned with Rory McIlroy) being pushed to 2025: more recovery time. “It’s given me an extra year to heal.”

Tiger’s Motivation Wanting To Be Involved Working With The PGA Tour: 

• Tiger sounding somewhat emotional in responding: “The PGA gave me an opportunity that Chase after the childhood dream and I got a chance to hit my first ball and my first PGA tour event when I was 16 years old and now that’s like 33 years ago. As a little kid from Cypress California growing up on a par 3 course got a chance to play against the best players in the world and make it to World No. 1. I got a chance to be involved in a lot of different things on our Tour.
  “This is a different opportunity to make an impact on the Tour. I did it with my golf clubs, I
  made a few putts here and there and was able to do that. Now I am able to make an impact
  in a different way for other generations to come. Not just generations that I played against,
  but for future generations like a 16-year-old looking for a place to play and maybe in hopes
  of playing PGA TOUR.”
• Other Notes:  TigeHe spoke alongside Hero MotoCorp’s Dr. Pawan Munjal, touching on the tournament’s growth and his role as host. He was also ver andid about the mental side of rehab: “When you’re lying all the time [about your pain], life isn’t fun. Tiger also spoke of the on-going concern for those affected earlier this year by the horror of the Pacific Palisades’ forest fires.