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Golf-Woods has back surgery, out for rest of 2015

* Woods has second back surgery in two years

* Hopes to return to competition "early in 2016" (Adds detail, quotes, byline)

Sept 18 (Reuters) - Former world number one Tiger Woods announced on Friday that he underwent back surgery earlier this week and will be sidelined for the rest of this year.

The 14-times major champion, who had a similar procedure on his back in March 2014, hopes to return to competition in early 2016.

"This is certainly disappointing, but I'm a fighter," Woods, 39, said in a statement on his website. "I've been told I can make a full recovery, and I have no doubt that I will.