Back injury forces four-time winner Tiger Woods to pull out of the Masters

Tiger Woods will miss the Masters for only the second time since his tournament debut in 1995, saying he is “not physically ready” for the year’s opening major next week. The former world No.1 has been sidelined from competition since August as he continues his recovery from back surgeries and was never likely to tee up at Augusta National for the event starting on Thursday. "After assessing the present condition of my back, and consulting with my medical team, I’ve decided it’s prudent to miss this year’s Masters,“ the four-times champion said in a statement on his official website.

I’ve been hitting balls and training daily, but I’m not physically ready. I’ve said all along that this time I need to be cautious and do what’s best for my long-term health and career.

Tiger Woods

Woods, 40, also pulled out of the tournament two years ago with a back problem but finished in a tie for 17th last year. The 14-time major winner, who has lost form since being involved in a sex scandal and has slipped to 472nd in the world rankings, will attend the Champions Dinner at Augusta National on Tuesday. But he said: "Unfortunately, playing Augusta next week wouldn’t be the right decision. I’m absolutely making progress, and I’m really happy with how far I’ve come, but I still have no timetable to return.”

tiger woods