Rory McIlroy has said Tiger Woods’ latest injury setback “sucks” – and reckoned he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon in training “trying to catch up on some lost time”. The 15-time Major champion underwent surgery on Tuesday but is set to miss the whole season. It is the latest injury setback for the American superstar who will turn 50 in December. And speaking before The Players Championship, McIlroy said: “It sucks. Yeah, he doesn’t have much luck when it comes to injuries and his body.

“Obviously he was trying to ramp up to get ready for Augusta, and Achilles surgeries obviously aren’t fun. Hoping he’s in good spirits and hoping he’s doing okay. We obviously won’t see him play golf this year, and hopefully we see him maybe play in 2026.” Woods underwent a sixth back surgery in September last year and played his last event at the Open at Royal Troon. He cancelled his planned return at the Genesis Invitational last month after the death of his mother Kutilda.

The world No.1,239 has teed up in two TGL events and played a round with President Donald Trump to discuss a PGA-PIF peace deal. He had not entered The Players but had been targeting the Masters next month. “He said he’d only touched a club three times or something, so I wouldn’t say he’d have been necessarily close,” McIlroy added.

“But he was obviously trying to get closer by ramping up and training and practicing and doing whatever he was doing. Yeah, I’d say he was trying to catch up on some lost time there.”

Asked if he could see Woods – who last won his 82nd and last PGA Tour title at the 2019 Masters – could come back to the sport as a competitive player, the Ulsterman added: “He’ll try. I know he’ll try. But that’s a question for him, not for me. I obviously don’t know what’s in his head. But judging by prior behaviour, he’ll definitely try.”

Four-time Major winner McIlroy, who will make another attempt to complete his career Grand Slam at the Masters, will turn 36 in May. Asked about how his career will wind down, he said: “I’ll be okay with that. I’m very happy to move aside for the younger generation to come through.

“I look at other sports, and I’ve had an unbelievable – I turned pro in 2007. I’m 18 years into a career. Not a lot of athletes can say they’ve had an 18-year career, and I’m only 35. I can acknowledge how lucky golfers are to be able to do what they do for so long compared to other athletes, so whenever I feel like the time is right, I’ll have no problem moving aside and letting the next generation do their thing. How will I know?

“I think when I’ve achieved everything I want to achieve in the game and I get to the point where I don’t think I can maybe do that anymore. I’d also like to walk away with a little bit left in the tank. I don’t want to be out there embarrassing myself. I’d like to walk away maybe a little before I should. Put it that way.

“There’s always one more, but that’s okay. I think if you can come to terms with that and walk away on your own terms, then that’s a good thing.”

Golfers can continue playing beyond the age of 50 on the Champions Tour and McIlroy added: “Absolutely not. I will not play Champions Tour golf. Look, I’ve said a lot of absolutes in my time that I’ve walked back, but I do not envision playing Champions Tour golf. Something has gone terribly wrong if I have to compete at golf at 50.”