Tiger Woods: I may never play competitive golf again

Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods admits his back injuries may mean he will never return to competitive golf.

Woods, who has won 14 majors during his career, spoke at a news conference for the Presidents Cup. He is acting as captain’s assistant for Team USA, who will play against an international team.

The 41-year-old said after multiple back operations even riding in a golf buggy “hurt too much”, the BBC reports. He added: “I don’t know what my future holds.”

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When asked if it was possible he would never compete again, he added: “Yeah, definitely. That’s going to take time to figure out what my capabilities are going forward - and there’s no rush.”

Woods added: “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to be here [at the Presidents Cup], because I couldn’t ride in a cart. The bouncing hurt too much.

“That’s all gone now, which is fantastic. I’m still training, I’m getting stronger. But I certainly don’t have my golf muscles trained because obviously I’m not doing anything golf related.”

Sky Sports’s Jim White said the golfing world would be a “poorer place” without Woods.

ESPN’s Peter Burns felt it was a “shame” that the younger golfing generation would “never quite understand” Woods’s domination and the excitement he brought to the sport.

Secret Tour Pro called Woods “the greatest golfer ever to grace this planet”.

However, one fan said the sport is “getting on fine without him”.