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Tiger Woods pulls out of US Open as back injury takes time to heal Tiger Woods pulls out of US Open as back injury takes time to heal
(3 months later)
Tiger Woods will miss next month’s US Open at Pinehurst as he continues his rehabilitation from back surgery.Tiger Woods will miss next month’s US Open at Pinehurst as he continues his rehabilitation from back surgery.
The 38-year-old world No3 said in a statement on Wednesday night: “Unfortunately I won’t be there because I’m not yet physically able to play competitive golf. I’d like to convey my regrets to the USGA leadership, the volunteers and the fans that I won’t be at Pinehurst.”The 38-year-old world No3 said in a statement on Wednesday night: “Unfortunately I won’t be there because I’m not yet physically able to play competitive golf. I’d like to convey my regrets to the USGA leadership, the volunteers and the fans that I won’t be at Pinehurst.”
Woods, who underwent an operation for a pinched nerve in his back eight weeks ago, has not competed since the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship on 9 March.Woods, who underwent an operation for a pinched nerve in his back eight weeks ago, has not competed since the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship on 9 March.
This will be the sixth major Woods will have missed since winning his 14th in 2008 at the US Open. Knee surgery following that victory led to an eight-month lay-off and caused him to miss the Open and PGA championships.This will be the sixth major Woods will have missed since winning his 14th in 2008 at the US Open. Knee surgery following that victory led to an eight-month lay-off and caused him to miss the Open and PGA championships.
In 2011 he sat out the US Open and Open Championship due to knee and achilles injuries, while this year’s back surgery caused him to miss the Masters for the first time in his career.In 2011 he sat out the US Open and Open Championship due to knee and achilles injuries, while this year’s back surgery caused him to miss the Masters for the first time in his career.
His latest travails have cast further doubt on his ability to surpass Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles but Woods continues to remain positive about his future. “Despite missing the first two majors, and several other important tournaments, I remain very optimistic about this year and my future,” he said on Wednesday night. His latest travails have cast further doubt on his ability to surpass Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles but Woods continues to remain positive about his future. “Despite missing the first two majors, and several other important tournaments, I remain very optimistic about this year and my future,” he said on Wednesday night.
Woods recently gave some indication of just how serious his position was before his latest operation.“I’ve had knee surgeries in the past and, yeah, I was hurting going into it but I was functioning. Right before this surgery I couldn’t do much,” he said. “Forget about playing golf at the highest level – I couldn’t get out of bed.Woods recently gave some indication of just how serious his position was before his latest operation.“I’ve had knee surgeries in the past and, yeah, I was hurting going into it but I was functioning. Right before this surgery I couldn’t do much,” he said. “Forget about playing golf at the highest level – I couldn’t get out of bed.
“After I had the procedure it was immediate relief and just a matter of getting through that pain part. It wasn’t the shocking or debilitating pain. It was just pain from the surgery, the incision.”“After I had the procedure it was immediate relief and just a matter of getting through that pain part. It wasn’t the shocking or debilitating pain. It was just pain from the surgery, the incision.”