Fourteen-time grand slam winner Tiger Woods says he will not compete in next week’s Masters after failing to recover from his latest back injury.
It will mark only the third time 41-year-old Woods has missed the year’s first major since he first competed at Augusta National in 1995.
Four-times champion Woods did not play the Masters in 2014 and 2016 and tied for 17th in 2015.
“I did about everything I could to play, but my back rehabilitation didn’t allow me the time to get tournament ready”, a statement on his official website read.
Woods returned to the PGA Tour in January after a 17-month absence due to a back surgery but has not played a tournament since he pulled out of a European Tour event in Dubai because of a back spasm in early February.
