For Tiger Woods, the decision to undergo his most recent back surgery was all about quality of life.

That, over and above his ability to play golf again, led him to have fusion surgery last month. But he made it clear in a blog entry posted Wednesday that he plans to return to the PGA Tour as soon as is physically possible.

"I could no longer live with the pain I had," Woods wrote. "We tried every possible non-surgical route and nothing worked. I had good days and bad days, but the pain was usually there, and I couldn’t do much. Even lying down hurt. I had nerve pain with anything I did and was at the end of my rope."

That pain kept him from playing the Masters and surgery came shortly afterward, providing what Woods called "instant nerve relief." The timeline for a potential return to tournament play remains unclear, but Woods said he is not allowed to twist his body for another two and a half to three months.

With that in mind, Woods said he is focusing on short-term goals and "not looking ahead," but there's no question about his ultimate objective.

"As for returning to competitive golf, the long-term prognosis is positive," he wrote. "My surgeon and physiotherapist say the operation was successful. It’s just a matter of not screwing up and letting it fuse. I’m walking and doing my exercises, and taking my kids to and from school. All I can do is take it day by day. There’s no hurry.

"But, I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again."