Tiger Woods Refuses to Rule Out Playing in This Year's Masters

Tiger Woods weighs Ryder Cup captaincy

Woods keeps options open for April's Masters amid ongoing recovery from back surgery and hints at Ryder Cup future. Tiger Woods considers 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy after PGA of America seeks his input, keeping door open for potential leadership role.

“Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven't made my decision yet...”

Tiger Woods is keeping his options open for the Masters, saying it's not “off the table” despite still recovering from back surgery in October. The 50-year-old golfer, who hasn't competed since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024, is making progress, hitting full shots, but admits it's a challenge.

Woods is hosting the Genesis Invitational this week and is busy with PGA Tour duties, including reshaping the schedule. He's also considering the Ryder Cup captaincy for 2027, but hasn't made a decision yet. 

Woods is back! The golf legend, who's been sidelined since missing the 2024 British Open cut, shared a big smile before revealing he's gotten clearance to chip and putt again. This comes after a lumbar disc replacement surgery and a March 2025 Achilles tendon repair.

Woods' Achilles is reportedly no longer a problem, but he's still dealing with some back soreness. The 15-time major champ is taking it one step at a time, and fans are eager to see him back on the course.

“As far as the disc replacement, it's just sore. It takes time,” said Woods. “My body has been through a lot. It's just one of those things where it's each and every day, I keep trying, I keep progressing, I keep working on it, trying to get stronger, trying ⁠to get more endurance in this body and trying to get it at a level at which I can play at the highest level again.”

Tiger Woods is staying busy despite not competing since July 2024. He's serving as a PGA Tour policy board player director and vice chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises. Now, he's being considered for an even bigger role - the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy. The PGA of America has asked for his input on the position, and Woods is weighing his options.

Woods' decision is likely influenced by his busy schedule, including reshaping the PGA Tour's future. As chairman of the Future Competitions Committee, he's working to create a more streamlined schedule with fewer tournaments and more meaningful events. With his experience and influence, Woods would be a strong contender for the captaincy, but he's hesitant to commit due to his other responsibilities.

“Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven't made my decision yet,” Woods said on Tuesday. “I'm trying to figure out what we're trying to do with ‌our tour.

“That's been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our ‌Team USA and our players and everyone that's going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.”

Tiger Woods is not ruling out a Masters appearance in 2026. 👀 pic.twitter.com/FZ6qemNxEm

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 17, 2026

Tiger Woods has kept the door open for potentially leading the US Ryder Cup team in the future. He turned down the captaincy for the 2025 Ryder Cup, citing time constraints and PGA Tour responsibilities, but explicitly stated that this decision didn't rule out future opportunities.

The PGA of America has now approached Woods about the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy, and he's considering it. Woods is weighing his options, taking into account his busy schedule with the PGA Tour and other commitments. His decision is likely influenced by his desire to create opportunities for younger players and reshape the PGA Tour schedule.