Tiger Woods will not make PGA Tour return at The Players; Woods is a two-time winner at TPC Sawgrass; 15-time major champion has not featured on the PGA Tour since withdrawing mid-round from the Genesis Invitational; watch The Players live from March 14-17 on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 8 March 2024 22:27, UK
Tiger Woods will not return to PGA Tour action at The Players next week, live on Sky Sports.
The former world No 1 has played a limited schedule in recent seasons due to injury, making just seven starts at events offering world ranking points since his car crash in February 2021.
Woods set 'a tournament a month' playing target for the year ahead, which would be his busiest schedule since 2019, but had to withdraw mid-round through illness when he made his latest injury comeback at the Genesis Invitational last month.
Woods played every edition of The Players from his debut in 1997 to 2007, including a one-shot victory in the 2001 contest, then featured each year from 2009 to his two-shot victory in 2013.
He missed his title defence a year later through injury and has only made three starts since, with Woods finishing tied-30th in his most recent appearance in 2019 - a month after he won The Masters for a fifth time.
This is the last of Woods' five-year exemption to The Players for that major victory, meaning - depending on results over the next 12 months - he potentially may need to find an alternative way to earn a spot in the future.
Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion at TPC Sawgrass after last year's impressive victory, while Rory McIlroy will look to close the gap at the top of the world rankings in the event he won back in 2019.
FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland chases a first victory of the season and major champions Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman both feature, with Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick among those looking to become the first Englishman to win The Players.
Sky Sports will once again offer bumper coverage from one of the highlights of the PGA Tour season, where the majority of the world's top 50 will compete for a bumper $25m tournament purse and a $4.5m first prize.
There will nearly 60 hours of live coverage from Tuesday-Sunday of tournament week and a host of extra content available for you to enjoy throughout those days, with a host of bonus feeds available via the red button during all four tournament rounds.
The 'Live from The Players' build-up show are on Sky Sports Golf from 1pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the opening round then live on Thursday from 11.30am.
Watch The Players live from March 14-17 on Sky Sports. Stream the PGA Tour and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - just £21 a month for 12 months. No contract, cancel anytime.
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