Tiger Woods announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he will not compete in next week’s U.S. Open at The Country Club.
“as my body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf,” Woods stated, adding that he had previously notified the USGA that he would be unable to compete at Brookline.
Woods last played on the PGA Tour at the Southern Hills Classic last month, making the cut but withdrawing after a third-round 79. It was Woods’ first major withdrawal in his professional career, and his first WD on the PGA Tour since the Farmers Insurance Open in 2015.
At the PGA Championship, Woods was visibly in pain throughout the week, but he battled through rounds of 74-69 to reach the weekend.
Rory McIlroy, who played with Woods at Southern Hills on Thursday and Friday, said, “He’s feeling it on every swing … (but) he’s the ultimate pro.” “If that would have been me, I would have been considering pulling out and just going home, but Tiger is different and he’s proved he’s different … it was just a monumental effort.”
“He’s got pain and discomfort in the foot,” says the doctor “When Woods withdrew from the PGA Championship on Saturday, his agent, Mark Steinberg, told Sports Illustrated. “He just thought it was in his best interest not to tee it up tomorrow.”
Woods made his competitive return at this year’s Masters, making the cut and finishing 47th, after suffering catastrophic injuries to both legs in a single-car accident in February 2021. With a strong showing at Southern Hills, the 82-time TOUR winner made his second consecutive cut before succumbing to injury on Saturday.
Woods said he still plans to compete in the Open Championship at St. Andrews next month.