Every Tuesday, SI Golf will rank nine newsmakers from the golf world. Sometimes, we'll cast a wide net. Tell us what you think on the SI Golf X account.
1. Tiger Woods: It’s kind of surprising that after nearly six months of doing this weekly column, Woods has never been first. But here we are. In a familiar tale, he underwent another back surgery—the seventh of his career—to replace a lumbar disc. Still also nursing an Achilles he ruptured in the spring, this takes Woods out of December’s Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship, along with a large chunk of the 2026 TGL season. And turning 50 at the end of this year, a return to his glory days appears bleaker than ever. However, Woods might have undergone this surgery to alleviate pain while swinging a golf club. So maybe he won’t be ready for Augusta, but a return to golf seems likelier than not.
