Brooks Koepka heading for Bay Hill after missing Honda Classic cut
Friday 28 February 2020 22:42, UK
Tiger Woods has decided to miss next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational as his back remains stiff.
The 44-year-old has won the tournament at Bay Hill eight times but his agent has revealed he is not yet ready to return to action.
Woods has not played since finishing last - among players who made the cut - at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in California two weeks ago, where he revealed he had back stiffness.
He swerved last week's WGC-Mexico Championship as a result and also decided not to play in this week's Honda Classic near his south Florida home.
"Back still stiff and just not quite ready," his agent Mark Steinberg said in a text to ESPN when asked if Woods would play at Bay Hill.
Woods also missed the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year when he cited a neck strain for withdrawing from the event on the Monday of tournament week.
The former world No 1 announced earlier this week he was going to follow last year's "blueprint" as he prepares for his defence of the Masters title at Augusta National in April.
One man who does look set to play at Bay Hill next week is Brooks Koepka, who confirmed his intention to take part in the tournament after missing the cut at the Honda Classic following a second successive 74 on Friday.
The four-time major winner plans to play the next four weeks before taking a week off before the Masters.
"I'll be at Bay Hill. You're going to see me at Bay Hill. I've got four more weeks in a row," said Koepka, who insisted he had suffered no problems with his knee at PGA National.
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