Rory McIlroy does not expect to see Tiger Woods play again in 2025, after the 15-time major winner had surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Woods underwent an operation on Tuesday in the latest of a long list of injury setbacks.

The 49-year-old recently featured in the technology-driven TGL, but has not played on the PGA Tour since The Open last year.

McIlroy empathised with Woods, acknowledging "he doesn't have much luck" on the injury front.

"It sucks," the four-time major winner said. "He doesn't have much luck when it comes to injuries and his body. Achilles surgeries obviously aren't fun.

"[I'm] hoping he's in good spirits and hoping he's doing OK. We obviously won't see him play golf this year, and hopefully we see him maybe play in 2026."

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McIlroy was speaking ahead of this week's Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, where he will tee off alongside defending champion Scottie Scheffler and world number three Xander Schauffele on Thursday.

Unlike Woods, the Northern Irishman has managed to stay relatively injury-free since missing The Open in 2015 after rupturing an ankle ligament. 

And the 35-year-old hopes to be in a position to hang up his clubs on his own terms, rather than go through the motions for the sake of it.

"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," he said.

"When I've achieved everything I want to achieve in the game, I get to the point where I don't think I can maybe do that any more. I don't want to be out there embarrassing myself. I'd like to walk away maybe a little before I should.

"There's always one more, but that's OK. If you can come to terms with that and walk away on your own terms, then that's a good thing."