Golf: Tiger Woods Withdraws From 2023 Masters Due To Foot Injury

Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Masters, opting not to play in the third round when it begins at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday morning.

Golf: Tiger Woods Withdraws From 2023 Masters Due To Foot Injury

Woods, 47, made the 36-hole cut after bogeying the last two holes in torrential rain on Saturday morning, equal Gary Player and Fred Couples’ record of 23 straight cuts at the tournament.

The record extends back to his 1997 Masters triumph, which was the first of five at Augusta National. Woods was competing in his 25th Masters, and the only time he had missed the cut was as an amateur in 1996.

“I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis. Thank you to the fans and to @TheMasters who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!” Woods tweeted on Sunday morning.

Woods returned to Augusta National with the expectation of at least a respectable finish. Instead, after finishing his second round earlier in the day, he scored 9-over through seven holes in Round 3 when the bell blew Saturday. Woods ended 47th in 2022. Woods made the cut (three over par), but a 6-over in Round 3 through six holes put him out of contention for a victory, top ten, or even top 25.

Woods has yet to win an event since his comeback from a terrible automobile accident in 2022. Woods recognised his health, notably in his surgically rebuilt leg, at a media availability before to the start of the Masters.

“I’ve always loved this golf course, and I love playing this event,” Woods said Saturday morning when he was unsure if he would make the cut. “Obviously I’ve missed a couple with some injuries. But I’ve always wanted to play here. I’ve loved it.

“I hope I get a chance to play this weekend … I wish I get a chance to play two more rounds.”

However, it soon became obvious that things were not going to go smoothly. As the rain persisted, the temperature fell into the 40s. Woods began the back nine with bogeying holes 10 and 14, respectively.

He hit a double-bogey 7 at the par-5 fifteenth, just the third time in 96 Masters rounds, after spinning his approach shot back into the water.

Woods fired a pulled tee shot into the water on the par-3 16th hole. The only time he had ever made worse than a 4 on the hole was when he played from the drop area and finished with a double-bogey 5.

Woods finished his round at 6 over par as a result. If he had decided to compete in the competition, he would have had to play 30 holes on Sunday.

Woods miraculously recovered from serious injuries sustained in a February 2021 automobile accident to compete at the Masters the following year, finishing 47th. Last year, he participated in just two more official competitions before withdrawing from the PGA Championship after the third round and failing to make the British Open cut.

In his lone other start before to the Masters this year, he made the cut at the Genesis Invitational and tied for 45th.

Woods has said his goal was to play “the four majors and maybe a couple more.” The PGA Championship is in six weeks at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

 

 

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