When Tiger Woods announced he had undergone yet another back surgery, amid speculations of his anticipated comeback, the golf world went buzzing. His return from repeated injuries is an old story now. Every time he has fought valiantly and achieved remarkable recovery. And behind those recoveries stand some of the most skilled surgeons in the world. This time, the man in the operating room was Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi, a name synonymous with excellence in modern spine surgery as well as a reliable one for Woods.

Who is Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi

Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi is one of the most respected names in the world of spinal surgery. A New Jersey native, Dr. Qureshi has his name etched for his skilled precision, innovation, and leadership. At least that’s what his patients’ stories say.

Dr. Qureshi completed his undergrad at Rutgers University before he decided to pursue an M.D. and then an MBA in Health Administration from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. Now that is a combo you don’t hear quite often. But to a young Qureshi, he knew what he was doing as he had a vision.

Following his medical degree, he completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Talented as he was, he soon gained recognition for his skill in spinal procedures. That was when he decided to enhance his knowledge base.

Dr. Qureshi then undertook an advanced fellowship in complex spine surgery under the mentorship of Dr. Henry Bohlman in Cleveland, Ohio. As one would know, this place is a training ground for some of the finest spine surgeons in the US. So, Qureshi made complete use of this opportunity. He already had an early interest in the biological and biomechanical aspects of spine preservation, which eventually in a few years, would lay the groundwork for his future innovations in motion-preserving spinal surgery.

His interest in medicine, coupled with tech, has now made him a trailblazer in his field. This is probably the reason why Tiger Woods chose him as his surgeon, even though he could have had anyone.

By the early 2010s, Dr. Qureshi had already earned national attention. He was featured by Becker’s Spine Review in 2014 among “20 Spine Surgeons Focused on Trauma Care.” That sent his reputation on a rise, leaving him where he is now.

What is Dr. Qureshi’s expertise and medical credentials?

Today, Dr. Qureshi serves as the Co-Chief of the Spine Service at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York. It is the nation’s top-ranked orthopedic hospital. He also holds the Patty and Jay Baker Chair in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and serves as Chief Medical Officer of HSS Florida. That is not all. He is also the Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.

When it comes to his specialization, he is an all-rounder. The list includes minimally invasive cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine surgery, disc replacement, and motion-preserving spine procedures. Another interesting fact is that this man performs nearly 300 minimally invasive spine surgeries annually. That is like an average of 6 surgeries a week.

This makes Dr. Qureshi one of the busiest and most experienced surgeons in the whole of America. No wonder Woods chose him as his operator.

Remember when we said he is an all-rounder? Let’s come on to that. Dr. Qureshi is also a founding member and treasurer of the Minimally Invasive Spine Study Group (MISSG). Now, what he does through this is advance global research on spine surgery outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and comparative treatment methodologies. Moreover, he also closely works with leading spinal implant companies to design next-gen surgical technologies that improve patient recovery and reduce procedural risks.

And performing on the GOAT will now be another accolade added to Dr. Qureshi’s resume.

What is Tiger Woods’ connection to Dr. Qureshi?

Reading all the accolades, it is no surprise that Tiger Woods turned to Dr. Qureshi for his recent surgery. But this was not the first time for Woods and Qureshi to work together. In the past, too, the 15-time major has sought the New Jerseyan’s help.

In September 2024, Dr. Qureshi performed a microdecompression surgery on Wood’s lumbar spine at HSS’s West Palm Beach facility. That minimally invasive procedure relieved nerve impingement in the golfer’s back. The operation was aimed at easing the spasms and chronic pain that had plagued much of Wood’s 2024 season.

And just over a year ago, a day ago, Dr. Qureshi again performed on Woods, though this time the operation was much more complex. The surgeon had to replace the lumbar disc in Wood’s spine at the HSS branch in New York. This procedure targeted Big Cat’s L4/L5 disc and addressed a collapsed and fragmented disc that had compromised his spinal canal. This surgery marked the seventh on Woods’s back overall, and a pivotal one too.

Before this, Tiger Woods had sought the help of several other notable surgeons as well. Dr. Charles Rich is one such name who performed three back surgeries on Woods. Then there is Richard Guyer, another spinal surgeon who performed the career-saving 2017 spinal fusion surgery. Dr. Anish Mahajan was the one who performed multiple emergency surgeries on Woods after his fatal car accident in 2021. Dr. Qureshi’s name now gets add on in this list.

And turning to him was also probably the right decision, as the operation went successfully. Woods himself acknowledged this on his social media, saying, “I opted to have my disc replaced yesterday, and I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”

What is Dr. Qureshi’s net worth and professional impact?

While no verifiable figure exists for Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi’s personal net worth, there is no doubt that he would be earning in the six-figure range. His professional stature as a top-tier orthopedic surgeon and the Co-Chief of Spine Service and CMO at HSS points to that.

Beyond financial metrics, Dr. Qureshi’s true impact lies in his multiple contributions to medical research and education. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and textbooks as of now. The subjects cover everything from motion sparing surgery to healthcare economics. At the same time, he has delivered over 100 invited lectures worldwide and trained surgeons from Asia, Europe, and Australia.

One such work worth mentioning is his research on motion preservation and rapid recovery protocols. This stellar work has directly influenced sports rehabilitation practices, allowing many elite athletes to return to play sooner and more safely.

Who are the notable patients of Dr. Qureshi and his reputation in Sports Medicine?

Of course, with so much on his CV, it is highly likely that Dr. Qureshi has worked with several other notable figures as well. And yes, that is true.

In 2021, actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg sought Dr. Qureshi’s skilled hands in the operating theatre. She credited him with her “night-and-day” recovery from severe sciatica, which had left her nearly immobile before undergoing surgery at HSS.

Similarly, Steve Goldfarb, a Brooklyn marathoner, returned to the NYC Marathon less than a year after a minimally invasive procedure performed by Dr. Qureshi. He could not even walk without the help of a walker, but after the surgeon’s help, Goldfarb was out there running and completing marathons.

On the topic of his reputation, all the above-mentioned achievements speak for themselves. In addition to these, Dr. Qureshi has appeared for ten consecutive years in Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors listings, has been featured in New York’s Magazine’s Top Doctors (2014-2022), and has been named a New York Times Super Doctor (2014-2020).  If these do not answer the question, then what else will?

In essence, there could not have been anyone else better suited for the job. Tiger Woods’s trust, and hundreds of other patients’ gratefulness for helping them stand on their feet again is the true achievement of Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi. No trophy or medal can ever compete with that.