Woods officially took his name out of next week’s Open on
Tuesday.
By Jeff Shain – The Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Fla. – Scratch the British Open off Tiger Woods’ entry list, too.
Woods officially took his name out of next week’s Open on Tuesday, saying doctors still haven’t given him the thumbs-up to return from knee and Achilles tendon injuries that first cropped up at the Masters.
“Unfortunately, I’ve been advised that I should not play in the British Open,” Woods said on his website. “As I stated at the AT&T National, I am only going to come back when I’m 100 percent ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That’s different for me, but I’m being smarter this time.”
The move comes as little surprise, after Woods disclosed a week ago that he hadn’t done nothing more than putt since his nine-hole stay at The Players Championship. He also said he wouldn’t fly to England on a “50-50 call.”
The British Open begins July 14 at Royal St. George’s, where Woods tied for third at the 2003 championship.
“I know how disappointed Tiger is not to be able to play in The Open this year,” said Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson, who Woods contacted personally with the decision.
“Naturally, we are sorry that a player of his caliber isn’t able to join us at Royal St George’s, but we wish him well in his recovery and hope to see him back soon.”
Woods now has been idled 7{ weeks by the injury – a layoff that figures to stretch to just shy of three months before the next tournament he typically plays. That would be the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, which begins Aug. 4 in Akron, Ohio.
The winner of 14 major titles sprained his left knee during the third round of the Masters, while hitting a shot at No.17 from atop slippery pine straw. He sat out four weeks before attempting a comeback at The Players, where he aggravated the knee on his opening tee shot and withdrew at the turn.
