The Friday night news dump rarely delivers good news, and this was no exception. After many weeks of will-he-or-won’t-he speculation, Tiger Woods announced on his website Friday night he will not play the Masters next week.
That means Woods, who has been out of commission since he withdrew from a European Tour event Feb. 3 in Dubai after complaining of back spasms, will miss the Masters for the third time in the last four years.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the first of Woods’ four Masters victories — a record-setting 12-stroke win in 1997 that many in the game say changed the sport forever.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be competing in this year’s Masters,” Woods wrote on his site. “I did about everything I could to play, but my back rehabilitation didn’t allow me the time to get tournament-ready. I’m especially upset because it’s a special anniversary for me that’s filled with a lot of great memories. I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since I won my first green jacket.”
Woods won the first of his 14 major championships 20 years ago at Augusta National at age 21. The last time he played it was in 2015, when he tied for 17th.
He missed the 2015-16 season following two back surgeries and returned to competition in December for the first time at his own Hero World Challenge after some 16 months away from competition.
After an encouraging week in the Bahamas in the Hero, where he led the 17-player field in birdies, Woods spoke of how healthy and strong he felt, and shortly thereafter, he set an aggressive playing schedule for himself, designed to lead into Augusta ready to compete for an elusive 15th major.
Woods, 41, planned to play the Farmers Insurance at Torrey Pines, then Dubai, the Genesis Open at Riviera, which benefits his charity, then the Honda Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
He made it through just two rounds and a missed cut at Torrey Pines and one round in Dubai, and has not been seen on a golf course since. When — if? — that changes is anyone’s guess.
“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.
Woods did not speak publicly until last week, when he conducted a publicity tour in Manhattan for a book he wrote commemorating the 20-year anniversary of his 1997 Masters victory.
At that time, Woods expressed “hope’’ he would make it to Augusta National, which he actually will — but only for the Tuesday night champions dinner.
“Augusta National has been a very important place to me and my family for over 20 years, and while I’m disappointed, it will be good to be back there Tuesday,” Woods said.
Woods has played in 20 Masters, 18 as a professional. He played his first in 1995 as an amateur, and he did not miss one until 2014, when he had the first of three back surgeries. His wins at Augusta came in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005.