Tiger Woods has insisted that he is "optimistic" of putting his injury troubles to one side after undergoing further surgery on his back.

The 41-year-old has not played tournament golf since the Dubai Desert Classic in February, being forced to miss The Masters as a result of his latest woes.

Woods went under the knife for a fourth time to rectify an issue with a disc in his back, which will see him out of action for around six more months, but he is hopeful of returning to a competitive level.

"The surgery went well, and I'm optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain," the 14-time Major winner said in a statement. "When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long."

Woods admitted earlier this year that he will likely "never feel great again" due to the number of injuries suffered during his illustrious career.