Stephen A. Smith Calls Tiger Woods 'Recreational Golfer' After Latest Setback

The 15-time major winner recently underwent surgery to repair an Achilles injury.

Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links GC tees off during a TGL match against Atlanta Drive GC at SoFi Center. / GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he recently underwent surgery to repair a left Achilles injury, one that will likely keep him out for the Masters—and potentially the entire 2025 season.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith discussed Woods's latest injury setback and what it means for his future on the golf course.

"I mean no disrespect—to me, Tiger Woods is a recreational golfer at this point. We know how he's the all-time great. We get that. But his health is so bad," Smith said. "He's gone through so many physical tragedies that, it's like, I keep telling people ... I look at golf, and I look at Tiger Woods, and I don't even think about his game. You know what I think about? ... You walk 18 holes Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. He's not making it. Literally, you don't even think about his swing, ya'll. You don't think about his short game, his mid-game, you don't think about him driving off the tee. All you think about is he can't make it through four days walking before you even think about him swinging. Walking the 18-hole course is not something he can do anymore, and that has been the case for years.

"And that's all I mean when I say he's recreational. Because he can't do it anymore."

Stephen A. Smith: "I mean no disrespect. To me, Tiger Woods is a recreational golfer at this point... walking the 18-hole course is not something he can do anymore and that has been the case for years." pic.twitter.com/NTbPCqiKhl

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 12, 2025

Woods has endured plenty of injury issues over the last decade-plus. He underwent several procedures to address back injuries over that span, and suffered a plethora of injuries in a car crash in February 2021.

Woods, who won his latest major at the 2019 Masters, missed the cut or withdrew from four of the five tournaments he participated in last year, and he finished last among players who made the cut at the Masters.

There is no timetable for Woods's return, although Dr. Charlton Stucken of the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Fla., who performed the Achilles repair operation, said in a statement that he is expecting "a full recovery."

Woods competed in the TGL indoor league four times this year, including last week, and he played in the Seminole Pro-Member on Feb. 24.

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