Tiger Watch
Fred Couples gives positive injury update on Tiger Woods
Augusta National
Golf fans got the first Tiger Woods update since the 15-time major champ announced earlier this month that he'd undergone surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles. It just didn't come from Tiger Woods.
Instead, Fred Couples—Woods' longtime friend—shared that he's been in touch with Tiger, and that, "He's in great spirits" despite his latest injury setback.
In a video shared by the PGA Tour Champions Twitter handle ahead of this week's Hoag Classic, Couples talked about texting with Tiger recently.
"I have, I've texted [Tiger] as soon as it happened he got back to me and I texted him on a couple other things," the 1992 Masters champ says in the video. "About TGL, about his daughter, just won the state soccer thing. . . . Before he hurt himself, he was on Cloud 20. It was amazing."
Couples was referring to Sam Woods' Benjamin School Buccaneers winning the Florida High School Athletic Association's Class 2A championship on March 1 with her dad in the stands. It was a nice bright spot for the family, who lost Tiger's mom, Kultida, in February.
"He's in great spirits for a ruptured Achilles," Couples continued. "He really is, he'll be fine. It's such a bummer, because people think, when's he going to play? He was scheduled to play a few events, not a ton, but a few events. And you know, his mother passing away would slow anyone down. But he's my man, and texting him is a lot of fun."
Woods' last official PGA Tour start came at the Open Championship in July when he shot 79-77 at Royal Troon to miss the cut in a third consecutive major for the first time in his career. He underwent a sixth back surgery in September before returning to action in December to nearly win the PNC Championship with son Charlie.
Woods has also played in four TGL matches in 2025 as well as the one-day Seminole pro-member earlier this month. Many people expected him to play in the Masters next month, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen now. Considering Woods turns 50 in December, it's possible his next start could come alongside Couples on the senior tour.