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Golf fans could catch a desperate glimpse of Tiger Woods on the golf course next year - but it may not be in the usual setting they've come to expect.
The 49-year-old has not teed it up competitively since The Open Championship in July 2024 amid a fresh slew of injury woes that have seen him plummet out of the top-2,000 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
The 15-time major winner suffered his latest setback earlier this month when he underwent a disc replacement in his spine, sparking uncertainty over whether he will ever be able to return to the top level of the sport.
However, Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions, has insisted there is a place awaiting the golf legend should he muster yet another comeback.
Woods will turn 50 on December 30, making him officially eligible to compete on the senior tour.
And while it remains unclear where Woods next intends to play, with suggestions of a return to The Masters or the PGA Tour not entirely ruled out, Brady has revealed that the veteran circuit is prepared to welcome the legend and his star power.
Tiger Woods suffered his latest injury setback earlier this month when he underwent surgery
PGA Tour Champions president Mille Brady said that the circuit was prepared for Woods
'The answer is yes, we're ready. We're well prepared,' he told The Golf Channel. 'We've done some white boarding over the past year in preparation for Tiger turning 50, and if and when he plays, our tournaments will be prepared.'
Brady maintained that the focus should be on the hope that Woods does persevere after yet another injury ravished spell.
Yet, the tour chief did admit that he had already worked through detailed preparations of the infrastructure and organization that will be required to host the iconic player.
'It is going to be more,' he said. 'And you mentioned it – security, buses, portalettes, concession stands – all of that is taken into account when we prepare for [Woods playing].
'To be honest with you, given the last surgery, I just hope that Tiger gets back on his feet and is able to play golf again.'
The PGA Tour Champions unveiled its schedule for the 2026 season this week, which features two new events - the Portugal Invitational in Algarve, Portugal, and the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The tour will also visit 18 states and four other countries (Morocco, Scotland, Portugal and Canada) as players compete for more than $69 million in total prize money across 25 regular season events.
In 2022, he played just three tournaments, and in 2023 he managed just two. In 2024, he appeared five times but missed the cut at the PGA Championship, US Open and The Open.
The 15-time major winner sparked fears when he underwent his seventh back procedure
Woods is pictured with daughter Sam, 18, and son Charlie, 16 at the 2024 PNC Championship
He has not featured in a single PGA Tour event since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024, gradually seeing his name tumble down the rankings.
Earlier this month, The Daily Mail spoke to a source close to the golfer to find out how he plans to recover - and if he wants to play again when he is back healthy.
'He's not stupid. He knows things are winding down, and he's coming to terms with it,' the insider admitted. 'He's turning 50 this year.
'He won't retire but he's slowing down. He wants to do at least one more major and to perform well in it. He wants to end the career with a bang, not a whimper. But right now, we'll have to see.'
The source close to Woods stressed that the golfer's main focus at present is his recovery – and that will determine his future.
'He's not in denial, but he wants to push himself until there's nothing more he can do. It depends on his recovery if he's there yet or not. Seems pretty likely that he is,' they added.
A source told The Daily Mail that the 49-year-old golfer, pictured with girlfriend Vanessa Trump, is still eyeing a comeback in order to end his career on this own terms
The tour chief is pictured with Bernhard Langer (left) after the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup
But Dr. Kern Singh, an expert in minimally invasive spinal surgery, clarified that it's not a question of whether Woods can muster any form of sustained comeback but whether he should.
'Physiologically, yes, a return to professional competition is possible if healing proceeds uneventfully,' Dr. Singh, a co-director of the Minimally Invasive Spinal Institute at Rush in Illinois, told The Daily Mail.
'Disc replacement aims to restore normal segmental motion and reduce the stress on adjacent levels - critical for an athlete reliant on rotational power. However, given his extensive surgical history, age, and the cumulative toll on his spine, the risk-benefit balance becomes more nuanced.
'While he can return, whether he should depends on his tolerance for risk, long-term spinal health priorities, and quality-of-life considerations beyond golf. The more surgeries one accumulates, the narrower the margin for error becomes.'
