Tiger Woods' surgically repaired right ankle pain-free, rest of leg still causing issues

For Tiger Woods, it's a good news, bad news situation.

Woods says the right ankle on which he had fusion surgery in April to alleviate arthritis pain from a previously broken bone is no longer an issue. Rather, the discomfort he feels these days is in other parts of his leg that have had to adjust to the surgery. As a result, Woods did not offer a timetable for when he will return to competitive golf.

"My ankle is fine," Woods said Tuesday. "Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone. It’s the other areas that have been compensated for."

Woods compared the pain he's dealing with to a previous fusion surgery, one he had on his lower back to repair vertebrae issues.

"All the surrounding areas is where I had all my problems and I still do," Woods continued. "So you fix one, others have to become more hypermobile to get around it, and it can lead to some issues."

Over the weekend, Woods caddied for his son, Charlie, at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship and videos captured from the event showed him walking with his son's bag.

"I'm pretty sore after caddying for four days," Woods said. "It was a flat course, thank God."

During an interview with the Golf Channel the week before the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, Stewart Cink said Woods had told him he had starting practicing.

Woods last played in the 2023 Masters, when he withdrew in the middle of the third round due to "constant" pain he was feeling on the ankle. He had the surgery two weeks later. The issue with the right ankle stems from a 2021 car crash that nearly cost Woods his leg.

One possible return for Woods could be the PNC Championship, which is scheduled to start on Dec. 14. The event is sanctioned by the PGA Tour Champions, meaning that carts are allowed. Woods and his son have participated in the PNC Championship two years in a row. Woods used a cart both times.