Tiger Woods remains resolute in his desire to compete, despite ongoing injury challenges that have kept him out of action since July 2024. The 15-time major champion, now 48, is focused on recovery and a potential comeback as he eyes 2025 with cautious optimism.

Woods revealed that his latest setback, a series of back issues radiating pain into his legs, required a sixth back surgery in September. Reflecting on his struggles, he said:

“I didn’t think my back was going to go like it did this year. It was quite painful… hence I had another procedure done to alleviate the pain.”

Despite the challenges, Woods remains committed:

“I’m getting stronger and more pliable, but I’ve got a long way to go to compete against these guys.”

While he feels improvement, Woods admits he’s not yet at the level required to return to competitive golf.

Acknowledging the physical toll his career and injuries have taken, Woods remains motivated:

“The fire still burns to compete. The difference is the recovery of the body to do it is not what it used to be.”

His last appearance at The Open ended in disappointment, marking his third consecutive missed cut in a major.

Woods also weighed in on the ongoing discussion about compensating Ryder Cup players. Historically, players have not been paid for their participation in the prestigious event. However, recent suggestions propose a fee for team members, with Woods advocating for a significant $5 million allocation per player.

Noting his views from past discussions, Woods said:

“We didn’t want to get paid. We wanted to give more money to charity, but the media turned it around… The Ryder Cup makes so much money, why can’t we allocate it to various charities?”

He emphasized his support for players donating potential earnings to charitable causes, calling it a “great” initiative.

A tragic stadium crush has claimed the lives of dozens in N’zérékoré, Guinea’s second-largest city, following violent clashes during a football match. The incident, which occurred during a tournament match between N’zérékoré and Labé, has shocked the nation.

The chaos reportedly began after fans of the visiting team, Labé, reacted angrily to a referee’s decision, hurling stones onto the pitch. Police responded with tear gas, which allegedly exacerbated the situation, leading to a panic-driven stampede.

Videos shared on social media reveal distressing scenes of large crowds scrambling over walls and multiple unresponsive bodies on the ground, including children. The exact number of fatalities remains unconfirmed, but reports indicate the toll could be significant.

Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah confirmed the “stampede” and expressed condolences to victims’ families. He appealed for calm and assured that hospitals are providing care to the injured. Regional authorities are working to stabilize the situation and investigate the incident.

The match was part of a tournament held in honor of President Mamadi Doumbouya, who took power in a September 2021 coup. Thousands of spectators were in attendance at the time of the tragedy.

This incident adds to a global pattern of stadium disasters linked to overcrowding and poor crowd control. It underscores the urgent need for stricter safety measures at large-scale sporting events.

Chelsea continued their dominant run in the Europa Conference League, edging closer to the knockout stages with a 2-0 victory over Heidenheim in Germany. The win keeps Enzo Maresca’s side at the top of the 36-team table with a flawless four-game streak in the group phase.

Christopher Nkunku, in scintillating form this season, opened the scoring with his fifth goal in the competition. The French forward expertly controlled Jadon Sancho’s pass before delivering a clinical finish. Nkunku, who played in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig before joining Chelsea, now has 11 goals across all competitions this season.

The match saw Chelsea’s defense tested by a spirited Heidenheim side, with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen delivering a standout performance. Jorgensen made crucial saves, including a brilliant one-handed stop to deny 18-year-old Paul Wanner in the first half. He also thwarted efforts from Leo Scienza and Wanner again after Chelsea took the lead.

Mykhailo Mudryk sealed the victory in the 86th minute, curling a superb strike into the top corner. However, the game ended on a slightly sour note for Chelsea, as midfielder Cesare Casadei was sent off in injury time after receiving a second yellow card.

Heidenheim, known for their remarkable rise through the German football leagues, posed Chelsea’s toughest challenge so far in the group stage. Despite their resilience, the Bundesliga club couldn’t overcome the visitors’ quality.

A contentious moment occurred in the first half when Chelsea thought they had won a penalty after Mudryk went down under a challenge from Patrick Mainka. Following a lengthy VAR review, referee Serdar Gozubuyuk opted against awarding the spot-kick, deeming the contact insufficient.

Chelsea remain the team to beat in the competition, having scored 18 goals across their four group matches.