It was another painful week out on the golf course for Tiger Woods, as his Masters Tournament ended in withdrawal thanks to an ongoing plantar fasciitis problem.
Woods' career has been hampered in recent years, after the 15-time major champion suffered severe injuries in a car accident in February 2021. Since then the American's PGA Tour performances have been few and far between, but golf fans were treated to an appearance at Augusta last week.
As was the case at the PGA Championship last summer, things did not go to plan for Woods in Georgia, after pulling out of the opening major of the year midway through his first round.
The five-time green jacket winner made the 36-hole cut by a single shot, but wet and windy weather caused havoc across Friday and Saturday and meant Woods was required to complete a mammoth 27 holes on Sunday.
And this clearly proved all too much for the 2019 champion, as his withdrawal was confirmed prior to the resumption in play. Woods wrote on Twitter: "I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis.
"Thank you to the fans and to @TheMasters who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!" Footage of the 82-time Tour winner emerged on Saturday, and it proved grim viewing for Woods' many fans.
Prior to this week's event, the 46-year-old had previously confirmed his plans to compete in all four major championships amid his new part-time career, as well as a 'couple' of extra Tour events. Speaking on his 2023 return at the Genesis Invitational in February.
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He said: "I'm not going to play any more than probably the majors and maybe a couple more. That's it, that's all my body will allow me to do. My back the way it is, all the surgeries I had on my back, my leg the way it is, I just can't. That's just going to be my future. So my intent last year was to play in all four majors, I got three of the four.
"Hopefully this year I can get all four and maybe sprinkle in a few here and there. But that's it for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That's just my reality." If Woods is a man of his word, golf fans could well be set to see the American action on four more occasions in 2023.
The first is expected to be major No.2 of the season at the PGA Championship next month, but the American faces a race to be fit with the event at Oak Hill growing ever closer. If Woods is able to stick to his plan, the 46-year-old is guaranteed entries at the US Open on June 15 and The Open Championship on July 20.
