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SPORTSSaturday 19 September
Tiger Woods has second microdiscectomy surgery on back
The Associated Press In this Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, file photo, Tiger Woods pauses on Woods pulled out of three Golf Cup ... I will be attend-
With his game ailing, Tiger the fifth hole during the final round of the Wyndham Champion- events he planned to play ing my foundation-hosted
Woods announced he un- ship golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, this year and isn’t expect- Hero World Challenge but
derwent a second micro- N.C. ed to return to the tour until won’t be able to play,”
discectomy surgery on his January at the earliest. Woods said.
back. Associated Press Dr. Rich, who performed After experiencing linger-
“This is certainly disap- the initial operation in ing discomfort in his back
pointing, but I’m a fighter,” March 2014, called it “a and hip, Woods elected
Woods said. “I’ve been told complete success.” Woods to have surgery quickly in
I can make a full recovery, was discharged Thursday. hopes of returning to the
and I have no doubt that I The 14-time major champi- PGA Tour early in 2016, or
will.” on hasn’t won one of golf’s as soon as possible. He is
four biggest events since scheduled to begin rehab-
Woods made the an- the 2008 U.S. Open. Woods bing within a week.
nouncement on his website also has won more than “I appreciate the fans’
— www.tigerwoods.com — 100 events worldwide, but concern and support,” he
and reported the microsur- none since the 2013 WGC- said. “This is unfortunate,
gical procedure — intend- Bridgestone Invitational. but these things happen.
ed to relieve pain from a I’ve been injured before
pinched nerve — was per- Woods canceled planned and played again. It won’t
formed late Wednesday in appearances in the Frys. be any different this time.”
Park City, Utah, by neuro- com Open at Silverado in In his last tournament,
surgeon Dr. Charles Rich. California and the Bridge- Woods had a season-best
stone America’s Golf Cup 10th-place tie late last
in Mexico City next month month in the Wyndham
and his own Hero World Championship in North
Challenge in the Bahamas Carolina. He played only
in early December. 11 events this season, miss-
ing four cuts and withdraw-
“I’d like to send my regrets ing once, and has dropped
to Frys and all those asso- to 283rd in the world
ciated with the America’s ranking.q
