Tiger Woods Reveals He Won’t Play on the Tour ‘Full-Time, Ever Again’: ‘It’s an Unfortunate Reality’

As Tiger Woods continues to recover and work his way back from a horrific car crash, the sports icon admits a full-time return to the PGA Tour will not happen.

Woods recently spoke to Golf Digest’s Henni Koyack, giving his first in-depth interview since suffering traumatic leg injuries in the February car crash.

“I think something that is realistic is playing the Tour one day – never full time, ever again – but pick and choose, just like Mr. (Ben) Hogan did. Pick and choose a few events a year and you play around that,” Woods told Golf Digest. “You practice around that, and you gear yourself up for that. I think that’s how I’m going to have to play it from now on. It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s my reality. And I understand it, and I accept it.”

The 45-year-old appears content with that reality, noting that he’s returned from devastating injuries in the past and no longer feels that same desire to prove he’s still one of the sport’s elite players.

“I don’t have to compete and play against the best players in the world to have a great life. After my back fusion, I had to climb Mount Everest one more time. I had to do it, and I did,” Woods said, referring to his 2019 Masters Championship which occurred after a 14-year drought.

“This time around, I don’t think I’ll have the body to climb Mount Everest and that’s OK,” Woods continued. “I can still participate in the game of golf. I can still, if my leg gets OK, I can still click off a tournament here or there. But as far as climbing the mountain again and getting all the way to the top, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation of me.”

Recently, Woods shared video of him taking swings on the driving range, sparking hope from fans that a return to the Tour was possible. Woods tempered that speculation during his interview with Golf Digest, stating, “I’m not even at the halfway point.”

Woods is currently tied with Sam Snead with 82 career PGA Tour victories and his 15 major championships are three behind Jack Nicklaus for the most of all time. While three more major wins seems very unlikely, Woods appears satisfied with staying focused on his health.

“There was a point in time when, I wouldn’t say it was 50/50, but it was damn near there, if I was going to walk out of that hospital with one leg,” Woods told Golf Digest.