Los Angeles (AFP)

Tiger Woods is not sure whether he will be able to play the Masters in April after his fifth back surgery, he said on Sunday in his first public appearance at the Genesis Invitational, which he is sponsoring.

Asked about his participation in the Grand Slam golf tournament, which he won in 2019, the 45-year-old American star replied: "My God, I hope so".

The winner of 82 American Golf Tour (PGA) tournaments, tied with legendary Sam Snead (1912-2002), explained that it would depend on his physical condition.

"I feel good. I'm just a little stiff," Tiger Woods said on CBS Sunday on the sidelines of the Genesis Invitational.

"I still have a scheduled MRI so we will see if the annulus (part of the disc between two vertebrae) is well healed and if I can start having more activities," he said, adding that he was still in "rehabilitation".

Tiger Woods has not planned his return to the greens nor confirmed his participation in the Masters, following this new operation, a microdiscectomy, suffered after playing with his son Charlie in December.

He said he wanted to plan his return in agreement with his doctors and "do it correctly".

The player now uses a longer putter to avoid having to stoop too much.

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