PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Rory McIlroy echoed the sentiments of golfers and golf fans everywhere Wednesday morning at TPC Sawgrass. Speaking with the media ahead of the 2025 Players Championship, the 2019 winner of the tournament responded to news about his friend and business partner, Tiger Woods, who underwent surgery for a ruptured left Achilles tendon, which will keep the 49-year-old out of action indefinitely.
"It sucks," McIlroy said. "Yeah, he doesn't have much luck when itcomes to injuries and his body. Obviously, he was trying to ramp up to get ready for Augusta [National], and Achilles surgeries obviously aren't fun. Hoping he's in good spirits and hoping he's doing OK. We obviously won't see him play golf this year, and hopefully, we see him maybe play in 2026."
Woods' future participation is now highly questionable; he is likely to miss the 2025 Masters next month due to the severity of the injury, with the recovery timeline estimated at 4-6 months. On social media, Woods shared details about his injury, explaining he sustained it during practice as he was preparing for the Masters scheduled for April 10-13 at Augusta National Golf Club. Dr. Charlton Stucken of the Hospital for Special Surgery performed Woods' "minimally invasive" Achilles tendon repair.
McIlroy expressed concern about Woods' situation, stating, "We obviously won't see him play golf this year, and hopefully, we [will] see him maybe play in 2026." Speculating on Woods' determination, McIlroy added, "He'll try. I know he'll try. But that's a question for him, not for me. I obviously don't know what's in his head. But judging by prior behavior, he'll definitely try." The challenges Woods faces are compounded by his prior struggle to recover from microdecompression surgery for nerve impingement affecting his lower back. This marked the sixth such surgery on his lower back over the past decade.
McIlroy highlighted the severity of Woods' previous injuries, noting, "He said he'd only touched a club three times or something, so I wouldn't say he'd have been necessarily close [for the Masters]. But he was obviously trying to get closer by ramping up and training and practicing and doing whatever he was doing. Yeah, I'd say he was trying to catch up on some lost time there." This season marked the first time since 2022 Woods hadn't played any professional rounds before the Masters.
Woods, who has not competed on the PGA Tour since missing the cut at The Open in Scotland last July, had also withdrawn from the Genesis Invitational, which he hosts, shortly after his mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4, 2025.
While McIlroy expressed his hopes for Woods, he also shared his own plans for his future. Turning 36 this May, McIlroy stated he doesn't envision his career extending well past 50. "I am very happy to move aside for the younger generation to come through," he remarked. "Whenever I feel like the time is right, I’ll have no problem moving aside and letting the next generation do their thing." With nearly 18 years of professional experience, McIlroy acknowledged the longevity of golfers compared to other athletic careers, affirming, "Not many athletes can say they’ve had 18 years and still only be 35."
Further clarifying his perspective, McIlroy indicated he wants to leave the sport before he feels he can no longer perform at his best. "I would like to walk away with a little bit left in the tank. I don't want to be out there embarrassing myself," he added. "I will not play Champions Tour golf. Something has gone terribly wrong if I have to compete at golf at 50."
Meanwhile, the golf world continues to watch the developments around other players. On the sidelines, Brooks Koepka also commented on his future amid speculation about his return to the PGA Tour from the Saudi-backed LIV circuit. The former Masters champion stated, "I've got a contract obligation out here to fulfill and then we'll see what happens. I don’t know where I’m going, so I don’t know how everybody else does," indicating uncertainty yet focus on improving his gameplay.
Koepka’s frustrations resonate within the professional golf community as discussions about potential unification between traditional tours and alternative circuits continue to arise. With Woods' absence, the upcoming golf season takes on new meanings, challenges, and opportunities for current professional players.
The future is unclear for both Woods and McIlroy as they navigate their respective paths through unprecedented challenges and transitions for the sport. Fans await to see how each will contribute moving forward, whether through comebacks, mentorship, or celebrating the next generation of golfers on the rise.