Tiger Woods made a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut at The Masters but was bottom of the leaderboard when play was suspended on Saturday; five-time winner at Augusta National withdrew ahead of the third round resuming on Sunday morning
Sunday 9 April 2023 14:57, UK
Tiger Woods has withdrawn from The Masters due to injury ahead of the resumption of the third round at Augusta National.
Woods, making just his second start of the year, battled cold and wet conditions to close a second-round 74 on Saturday morning and secure a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut in The Masters.
The 15-time major champion snuck through on the cut mark of three over, despite bogeying his final two holes, with Woods falling further behind after a nightmare start to his third round.
Woods - beginning on the back nine - looked in physical discomfort as he made two bogeys and two double-bogeys over his first seven holes, leaving the former world No 1 on nine over for the tournament and bottom of the leaderboard by three shots.
The third round was set to resume at 8.30am local time (1.30pm BST), with Woods - who has only competed 72 holes twice since career-threatening leg injuries in a car crash in February 2021 - electing against returning to play what would have been an extended Sunday for him.
"I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis," Woods said on Twitter. "Thank you to the fans and to The Masters, who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!"
Woods had 11 holes of his third round to finish and would likely have been among the first out for the final round, where tournament organisers will go out in pairs off a two-tee start, with the 47-year-old now unable to finish the opening major of the year.
A brief statement from tournament officials on Sunday read: "Due to injury, Tiger Woods has officially withdrawn from the Masters after completing seven holes of his third round."
Plantar fasciitis is tissue inflammation that causes pain in the heel, making it difficult to walk. He withdrew from the Hero World Challenge in November with the injury, although played at the PNC Championship later that month and featured at February's Genesis Invitational.
Woods has previously said: "Every year from here going forward is to play in all the majors - I am not going to play too much more than that." That target currently looks uncertain for 2023.
He was next scheduled to feature at the PGA Championship, an event he has won four times, although it remains to be seen whether he will be fit to feature at Oak Hill Country Club from May 18-21.
The US Open takes place from June 15-18 at Los Angeles Country, before Woods has the chance to return to Royal Liverpool - where he defended the Claret Jug in 2006 - when The Open rounds off the major season from July 20-23.
Woods mentioned ahead of his appearance at Augusta that he does not play many tournaments anymore as he is "limited" in what he can do, with no timeline currently in place on when he will be back in action.
Six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo said: "I think he knows… how much pain he's in, so he's got to get realistic. It's a great a shame, but he doesn't need to go out there. I don't think the fans want to see Tiger looking in that much pain."
Sky Sports News' Jamie Weir: "He completed seven holes of his third round but we saw those terribly sad images of him struggling to walk. It was bitterly cold and wet yesterday, it's cold again on Sunday, and obviously Tiger's body has just shut down and given up on him.
"It was an incredible achievement just to make the cut, it shows what a feisty competitor he is. For Tiger to be up at this time in the morning and getting ready to play a round of golf requires hours of physio and his body just couldn't cope this time.
"It's terribly sad to see - you have to wonder whether we will see the great man again at The Masters. He himself earlier this week admitted that every time he heads out on the course he wonders whether it might be the last time for him.
"Knowing Tiger Woods, knowing what a feisty competitor he's been for the last quarter of a century, he doesn't want to turn up and just play a ceremonial role at these major championships, he only wants to be here if he believes he can compete."
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