Tiger Woods's withdrawal from the upcoming PGA Tour owing to an ongoing ankle issue was devastating news for golf fans everywhere. The golfing legend, who played through injury at last year's big tournaments, is now sidelined.
After finishing in 47th place at the Masters in April and dropping out of the PGA Championship in May, this latest setback is especially galling.
Since late 2022, Woods has been dealing with plantar fasciitis, which has hindered his performance and forced him to miss the tour. Keep in mind that 2020 was his final full year competing on the PGA Tour; his most recent non-major tournament was the Zozo Championship in China, where he finished T72.
Fans are eagerly awaiting Woods' comeback to the sport he has dominated for years as he focuses on rehabilitation and recovery from an ankle injury.
The Masters 2023 - Tiger Woods' most recent appearance in the sport
Tiger Woods revealed how much pain he is in during competition in an open interview at the 2023 Masters. Woods, who was playing in the Masters for the extraordinary 25th time, spoke openly about the difficulties he has faced because of the rod in his right leg.
"I didn't have very good speed early. I had two three-putts, and consequently, in a couple over par. But I needed my irons close enough today, you know. I didn't give myself very good looks. Needed a better job of that going forward. Hopefully, (I'll) get myself back in this tournament."
Tiger Woods said that while he has no problems hopping on his left leg, he is having a lot of trouble with his right. Two months after his last tournament, the Genesis Invitational, Woods entered the Masters 2023 feeling confident in his game.
The American golfer mentioned that the sport's physical requirements have been a constant source of difficulty for him. When asked where he stood in comparison to other players who were also vying for the green jacket, Woods said:
"Whether I'm a threat to them or not, who knows. People probably didn't think I was a threat in 2019 either, but kind of turned out okay!"
Tiger Woods is without question one of the most successful golfers of all time, as evidenced by his five Masters titles. There is talk that Woods may retire from golf completely, despite his stated intention to play in just the biggest tournaments going forward.