Tiger Woods announced on his website Friday evening that he will miss the Masters for the second straight year due to a back injury.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be competing in this year’s Masters,” Woods said. “I did about everything I could to play, but my back rehabilitation didn’t allow me the time to get tournament ready.”
Woods will be at the Champions Dinner Tuesday night in Augusta, but this will mark the third time in four years Woods has missed the first major of the year.
Timeline: Look back at Woods’ injuries
The 14-time major champion sat out 2016 to recover from two back surgeries, and he started 2017 with an ambitious schedule to play four events in five weeks. But he missed the cut at Torrey Pines and then withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic. Woods said the WD was due to back spasms. He hasn’t played since.
Woods said he was especially disappointed to miss this year’s Masters since it will be the 20th anniversary of his historic 12-shot win in 1997.
“I have no timetable for my return, but I will continue my diligent effort to recover, and want to get back out there as soon as possible,” Woods said.
Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told ESPN.com that Woods was cleared by his doctors to play in the Masters, and he started hitting balls a few weeks ago. But ultimately Woods just wasn’t ready to return.
“He was grinding pretty hard on this one,’' Steinberg told ESPN. “Because the Masters has such a special place in his heart, and because it’s been such a special tournament for him, he really wanted to try and be there. And knowing the course so well, the local knowledge, he figured he had a chance to play. He grinded on this up until today.’'
