For the first time in his storied career, Tiger Woods finds himself outside the top 2,000 golfers in the world. The 49-year-old icon, who once towered over the sport as its undisputed No. 1, has fallen to 2,048th in the latest Official World Golf Rankings, marking the lowest position of his professional life.
It’s another humbling moment for Woods, whose extraordinary career has been defined as much by dominance as by resilience.
After undergoing disc replacement surgery earlier this month, the 15-time major champion faces a long recovery and growing doubts about whether he can return to competitive form in time for the 2025 Masters.
According to The Sun, the new ranking drop underscores how far the sport’s biggest name has fallen since his last stretch as world No. 1 in May 2014.
Woods first claimed that position in 1997, a year after turning professional, and went on to spend a record 683 weeks atop the golf world.
A two-year decline reaches its lowest point
The Official World Golf Ranking operates on a two-year rolling system that rewards recent results. For a player who’s barely been active, the decline was inevitable. Woods played only three events in 2022, two in 2023, and five in 2024, missing the cut at the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open.
He hasn’t teed it up on the PGA Tour since July 2024, when he failed to make the weekend at The Open. As the months pass without competition, his ranking points continue to expire-raising the possibility that Woods could fall off the global list altogether if he doesn’t return before April.
Though his current status might be unfamiliar, it’s not surprising given the toll injuries have taken. Woods has endured multiple knee and back surgeries over the years, including the catastrophic 2021 car accident that nearly ended both his life and his career. Since then, each comeback has been a careful balance between passion and pain management.
Woods’ future remains uncertain
Despite his physical struggles, Woods remains reluctant to use the word “retirement.” According to a source close to the golfer, speaking to the Daily Mail, he’s realistic about his limitations-but still determined to give it one last shot.
“He’s not stupid. He knows things are winding down, and he’s coming to terms with it,” the insider said. “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.”
That same source emphasized that Woods’ immediate focus is rehabilitation, not competition.
“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.
Read the full article here
