9th April, 2023
Tiger Woods has withdrawn from The Masters due to injury after completing seven holes of his third round at Augusta National.
Organisers confirmed on Sunday that the five-time winner pulled out for a fitness issue.
A brief statement from tournament officials on Sunday read: “Due to injury, Tiger Woods has officially withdrawn from the Masters after completing seven holes of his third round.”
On Twitter, Woods said, “I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis. Thank you to the fans and to The Masters, who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!”
Woods, making his second appearance of the year, battled cold and wet conditions to shoot a second-round 74 on Saturday morning, securing a record-tying 23rd consecutive cut in The Masters.
Despite bogeying his final two holes, the 15-time major champion made the cut at three over, with Woods falling further behind after a nightmare start to his third round.
Beginning on the back nine, Woods appeared to be in pain as he made two bogeys and two double bogeys in his first seven holes, leaving the former world No. 1 nine over for the tournament and three shots off the lead.
The third round was scheduled to begin at 8.30am local time (1.30pm BST), but Woods, who has only played 72 holes twice since suffering career-threatening leg injuries in a car accident in February 2021, chose not to play what would have been an extended Sunday for him.
Woods had 11 holes left in his third round and would have been among the first out for the final round, where tournament organisers will go out in pairs off a two-tee start, but the 47-year-old is now unable to complete the year’s first major.