Tiger Woods reaches all-time low with unwanted career milestone
The 15-time major winner hasn't teed it up competitively since missing the cut at The Open at Royal Troon last July and, as a result, his standing among golf's elite has taken a hit.
The 49-year-old, who recently confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, slumped to his worst-ever world ranking amid his latest injury woes.
Following the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic, which saw Americans Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin emerge victorious at the weekend, Woods' latest Official World Golf Ranking was revealed.
And it didn't paint a pretty picture as the golf great came in at No. 1,341 - the lowest of his career, according to popular golf Twitter account Nosferatu.
Woods' previous low came in November 2023 when he was in 1,328th position, having sat on the sidelines for the majority of the year after being forced to withdraw from The Masters that April.
He missed the major championship this year, including even the Champions Dinner, as he continued his recovery from the Achilles tear that has plunged his career into fresh doubt.
It was the second time he's missed the dinner - an exclusive ritual for past winners of the tournament at Augusta National. The first was in 2021 when it was held two months after the serious car accident where he could have lost his leg.
Woods revealed last month that he underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles after feeling a 'sharp pain' in his left heel.
In a statement, Woods said: 'As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured.
'This morning, Dr. Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon.
'I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab, thank you for all the support.'
Woods has not played at Tour-level since The Open last summer, with back surgery accounting for much of his lay-off before he withdrew from the Genesis Invitational in February following the death of his mother.
There had been suggestions that he was lining up a return at the PGA Tour's Players Championship in Florida in March. Yet, he had indicated earlier this month that he was focusing instead on practice.
Woods played alongside son Charlie to continue their annual tradition at the PNC Championship, a family exhibition, in December, returning from back surgery he underwent last September.
He has swung a club competitively, albeit on a simulator rather than on the course. He competed alongside his Jupiter Links teammates in TGL - the tech-infused, indoor league he founded with Rory McIlroy - throughout its inaugural regular season. Jupiter Links, also comprised of Tom Kim, Max Homa and Kevin Kisner, failed to make the playoffs.
This latest injury continues a miserable run of ailments, which included almost losing his right leg in a car accident. He has previously torn the Achilles tendon in his right ankle as well as rupturing ligaments in his left knee.
Last September, Woods had a sixth back operation in 10 years. The surgery was formally referred to as 'microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine.'
Woods, an 82-time winner on the PGA Tour, suffered extensive injuries from a horror, single-vehicle car crash in 2021 that broke his right leg and ankle and required emergency surgery.
He later had another ankle surgery to address lingering issues in 2023, weeks after withdrawing from that year's edition of The Masters.
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