Tiger Woods withdraws from 2023 Masters
After barely making the cut and struggling early in the third round, Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the 2023 Masters.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the 2023 Masters. The 15-time major champion had made the cut on the number, then struggled in the opening holes of his third round Saturday.
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!
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 9, 2023
"I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis," Woods said in a statement. "Thank you to the fans and to @TheMasters who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!"
Plantar fasciitis is an injury of the connective tissue around the heel, and it can make walking extremely difficult. Woods faced a long Sunday of walking 29 holes over Augusta's hilly terrain.
The third round of the Masters was cut short by rain that soaked the course. Wind and plummeting temperatures made the east Georgia course feel like an Open Championship venue. Woods is still feeling the effects of a catastrophic February 2021 car wreck, and he has indicated that cold weather is a hostile enemy to his reconstructed leg. Combined with the steep inclines of Augusta National, it's apparent that the challenge proved too much for Woods to handle.
The withdrawal ends Woods' run of completed Masters. He has made the cut every single year since his professional debut. On Saturday he tied the record of 23 consecutive cuts held by Gary Player and Fred Couples.
Woods has not completed a full tournament since last year's Masters. He also withdrew from the PGA Championship due to injury, and missed the cut at last year's Open Championship.
Saturday, Woods appeared likely to make the cut as he played his final holes of the weather-delayed second round. But a bogey-bogey finish left him on the outside until the cut line later slipped to +3. Woods played his first seven holes of the rain-delayed third round at +6. His final holes of the 2023 Masters ran bogey-double bogey-double bogey.
"I've always loved this golf course, and I love playing this event," Woods said after the second round. "Obviously I've missed a couple with some injuries, but I've always wanted to play here. I've loved it."
