Tiger Woods said that he’s “got a long way to go” before he can make a return to professional golf, but insists the “fire still burns to compete.”

Tiger Woods is not playing in the 2024 Hero World Challenge due to a variety of nagging injuries. On Tuesday, while holding court as host for his annual tournament in the Bahamas, the 15-time major champion expressed uncertainty about his return to the golf course following a sixth back surgery this September.

Throughout his career Tiger Woods has been reticent about his numerous injuries and physical challenges, so it comes as no great surprise that the 15-time major winner never let on that his chronically troubled back grew increasingly dysfunctional as he attempted to compete in a handful of events in 2024.