(SportsNetwork.com) – Steve Stricker, who has battled a balky back for several
years, had outpatient back surgery on Tuesday and is home recovering.
The surgery was to “relieve issues stemming from acute and chronic L5
radiculopathy’ according to a statement on PGATour.com.
Stricker, a 12-time PGA Tour winner, has played just 24 official events over
the past two seasons. That was by design so he could spend more time with his
family.
He skipped the FedExCup playoffs due to the bulging disc in his back.
Stricker returned to play in Tiger Woods’s Hero World Challenge and the
Franklin Templeton Shootout. After playing those two events, doctors told
Stricker that he would continue to have hip and quad pain if he did not
undergo the surgery.
The 47-year-old will rest and rehab his back over the next six weeks. After
that time, Stricker will be able to begin practicing and doctors expect all
restrictions will be lifted after eight weeks.
“I’m very excited to get back to practicing and competing in 2015 and expect
to be 100 percent physically, which really excites me,” said Stricker, whose
last win was at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. “I’ve been limited
the last several years and I’m confident the procedure will allow me to
perform at the level I expect from myself.
“I don’t have a target date for a return to the PGA Tour at this point, that
will very much depend on how my body responds to the surgery and rehab.”
Prior to scaling back his schedule the last two years, Stricker had eight
victories from 2009-12. He finished inside the top-20 on the FedExCup points
standings each year from 2007-14.
