Tiger Woods Return Timeline: Analyst Predicts Early-December Comeback

The aftermath of Tiger Woods’ March rollover car crash and DUI arrest may end up as the biggest golf story of the year. It also prevented what would otherwise have been the most notable golf event of 2026: Woods’ return at the Masters.

Woods, who at that point had recovered from his latest surgery, appeared ready to play his first professional tournament in nearly two years. Then came the arrest, followed by a stint in treatment and his eventual plea deal.

But with his legal troubles largely out of the way, Woods has started making public appearances. In at least one instance, he was filmed hitting balls and looked healthy.

So when will Tiger Woods make his long-awaited return to professional golf?

We got a window into an answer this week from a golf insider: PGA Tour player and NBC analyst Kevin Kisner. On the most recent episode of Barstool’s Fore Play podcast, Kisner said his time on Tiger’s TGL team was over, that Tiger was taking his place on the team, and that he believes the 15-time major champion will return to competition before the year is over.

Kisner Benched From TGL Team to Make Way for Tiger

Kisner is the current lead analyst for NBC Golf, overseeing coverage of the PGA Tour and major tournaments. Even at 42, he remains involved in the professional game.

Only five years ago, Kisner captured his fourth PGA Tour victory at the 2021 Wyndham Championship. He then played on the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2022.

More recently, Kisner played on Woods’ Jupiter Links TGL team for the league’s first two seasons. In an infamous moment, Kisner skulled a sand shot into the bleachers, causing Tiger to fall to the ground laughing.

That Kisner’s most indelible moment was one of the worst shots in TGL history did not bode well for his future on the team.

And on the Fore Play podcast, he confirmed that his time with Jupiter Links was over. The reason he gave was more interesting: to make way for Tiger Woods to play a full season for the TGL team.

“Well, obviously I’m not on the team anymore,” Kisner said on Fore Play. “I had a two-year contract with Jupiter Links. Tiger wants to play, and then they signed Keith Mitchell, which is totally fine with me.”

However, Tiger did not break the news to Kisner himself. Instead, Tiger’s longtime manager, Rob McNamara, texted Kisner to let him know he had been removed from the team.

“Rob [McNamara], Tiger’s guy, he texted me a long text last week, I think, just telling me what they did, how they were moving around, and what players were going to do, and that Tiger wanted to play a full schedule,” Kisner revealed.

Kisner Predicts Tiger Woods Will Return to Pro Golf in December

Woods playing a full season on TGL would be big news indeed. However, his involvement in the next season, which will begin in early 2027, would be more notable because of what it means for his professional career.

If Woods is healthy enough to compete regularly on TGL, that could mean he is healthy enough to compete in pro tournaments in 2027.

But on the Fore Play podcast, Kisner predicted that Woods would make his pro comeback before 2027.

Specifically, Kisner thinks Woods will first return at the 2026 Hero World Challenge and the 2026 PNC Championship, both scheduled for December.

“Yeah, I think he plays the Hero World Challenge and PNC Father Son. I think he is going to play both,” Kisner said. “I mean, we can’t have any more setbacks injury-wise. But the way he was swinging and moving on the range, I mean, the guy loves to compete. Come back, get your feet wet at the Hero, play with Charlie in the Father Son, play some TGL, get ready for Augusta.”

If he’s healthy, the Hero World Challenge would be the most obvious place for Woods to return for several reasons.

Woods hosts the tournament, and it features a limited field of top players that he knows. It’s a low-stress environment, played on a low-stress golf course and rarely features many on-site fans. He’s also made multiple returns from injury at the Hero previously in his career.

When the initial Hero World Challenge field list was released last week, it featured three empty spots for players to be named in the future.

The PNC Championship, on the other hand, offers Tiger a chance to play alongside his son Charlie Woods, who has a burgeoning golf career of his own. Woods seems to cherish the event, which he has played five times.

The Hero World Challenge kicks off December 3rd, followed by the PNC Championship on December 17th.

Source link