Golf legend Tiger Woods announced over the weekend that he underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery to treat a collapsed disc in his lower back.
Woods shared the news with fans on social media, revealing he decided on surgery after scans confirmed the extent of the damage.
“After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with Doctors and Surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal. I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back,” he wrote.
Another piece of the statement confirmed that the surgery was deemed successful.
“On Friday, Tiger underwent lumbar disc replacement surgery in his L4/5 Lumbar spine for lower back symptoms. The surgery was deemed successful and performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi and his team at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.”
The procedure marks the second back surgery Woods has undergone in the past 13 months, following a microdecompression surgery last year to manage back spasms, according to The Associated Press.
Overall, Woods has now had seven back surgeries dating to 2014, when he underwent his first procedure to fix a pinched nerve, causing him to miss the Masters for the first time in his career.
Throughout his career, Woods has suffered numerous major injuries, including a torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon, both considered disastrous among athletes.
Despite the plethora of injuries, Woods has been one of the best golfers in history and remains competitive during many of the most recent tournaments.
Woods’ accomplishments include 82 PGA Tour victories, tied for the all-time record with Sam Snead.
His career also includes 20 holes-in-one, 142 consecutive cuts made, and the lowest single-season scoring average in Tour history at 68.17 in 2000.