Tiger Woods has dropped to a new ranking low as the 15-time Major champion’s sad decline continues. The golf icon underwent surgery on his Achilles last month and his inactivity on the PGA Tour is set to see him fall even further down the rankings.
Woods has not participated in a tournament sanctioned by the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) since last year’s Open Championship. He missed the cut at Royal Troon, the third consecutive time that had happened at a Major championship. Fitness issues prevented the 49-year-old from keeping up with the sport’s best players.
He was initially scheduled to compete in the Genesis Invitational in February but withdrew following the death of his mum. A tough year means he has not been able to add ranking points to his name.
In the latest rankings, Woods has fallen to 1,341st in the world. It is the lowest position in the OWGR of his career. His continued inactivity is likely to see him drop further down the list.
Woods recently participated in TGL, a golf tournament he co-founded with Rory McIlroy and TMRW Sports, in partnership with the PGA Tour. However, he confessed that he has struggled to practice in recent weeks.
The former world No. 1 insists he wants to revive his professional career at the top level, but says he will first make sure he is in the right headspace.
Speaking last week after the final round of TGL, in which his team, Jupiter Links Golf Club, lost 9-1 against Atlanta Drive GC, Woods said: “We didn’t hit a lot of great shots, but god, we had some fun. This is the third time I’ve touched a club since my mum passed, so I haven’t really gotten into it.
“My heart is not really into practising right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the tour and trying to do other things. Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I’ll start looking at the schedule.”
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy remains the world No. 2 despite his triumph at the Masters and his excellent start to 2025. He sits a mere 30 points behind Scottie Scheffler, the man who preceded him as the green jacket winner.
The Northern Irishman beat Justin Rose in a tense play-off to finally secure a Career Slam of all four Majors. McIlroy has since played in the Zurich Classic alongside close friend Shane Lowry, but they finished tied for 12th.