Tiger Woods announces he will not play in the U.S. Open, will prepare for The Open Championship
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Two-time winner at St. Andrews still intends to play The Open
Written by Staff
Tiger Woods will not compete at next week’s U.S. Open at The Country Club, he indicated Tuesday via Twitter.
Woods said he had previously informed the USGA that he would be unable to compete at Brookline, “as my body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf.”
Woods last appeared on TOUR at last month’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills, making the cut but withdrawing after a third-round 79. It marked the first time Woods had withdrawn from a major in his professional career, and his first WD on TOUR since the 2015 Farmers Insurance Open.
Woods was in visible pain throughout the week at the PGA Championship, but he gutted out rounds of 74-69 to advance to the weekend.
“He’s feeling it on every swing … (but) he’s the ultimate pro,” said Rory McIlroy, who played alongside Woods on Thursday and Friday at Southern Hills. “If that would have been me, I would have been considering pulling out and just going home, but Tiger is different and he's proved he's different … it was just a monumental effort.”
“He’s got pain and discomfort in the foot," Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg told Sports Illustrated upon Woods’ PGA Championship withdrawal that Saturday. "He just thought it was in his best interest not to tee it up tomorrow.’’
After suffering severe injuries to both legs in a single-car accident in February 2021, Woods made his competitive return at this year’s Masters, making the cut and finishing 47th. The 82-time TOUR winner made his second consecutive cut with a resilient showing at Southern Hills before injuries caught up to him that Saturday.
Woods still intends to compete at next month’s Open Championship at St. Andrews, he said.