Golf without Tiger Woods was inevitable simply because of age. He turns 50 at the end of this year and once leaned on the adage that “Father Time remains undefeated.” But for Woods, it has been the mother lode of injuries that is keeping him from going out on his own terms.

Four-times major champion Rory McIlroy said on Wednesday he does not expect Tiger Woods, who had surgery this week for a ruptured Achilles tendon, to return to competition this year. Woods, 49, did not offer insight on the severity of his latest injury setback or a recovery timeline but McIlroy thinks the 15-times major winner has a long period of recuperation ahead of him.

Tiger Woods had recently been ramping up his training regimen in an effort to play in the 2025 Masters. However, he appears to have pushed himself a bit too far. On Tuesday, March 11, less than one month away from the start of the tournament,