Tiger's fate still a mystery as last major looms
Injured Woods staring at another lost opportunity after sitting out Masters and US Open
Tiger Woods was nowhere to be seen at the PGA Championship, except for his image on promotional banners, and his status for Thursday’s scheduled start at Valhalla remained uncertain.
Former world number one Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, suffered a back injury on Sunday during his final round at the World Golf Championships event in Akron, Ohio.
Woods, who underwent back surgery on March 31 to ease a pinched nerve, returned in late June and missed the cut at a PGA event his foundation owns, then shared 69th, his career worst 72-hole major showing, at last month’s British Open.
Since his last major win at the 2008 US Open, Woods has been nagged by a series of injuries to his back, knees and legs.
But if he fails to play this week, it would mark the first time in his career he has missed three majors in a season, having sat out the Masters and US Open this year while recovering from surgery.
Woods, ranked 10th, had not registered with PGA officials by Tuesday afternoon but could still do so just before his Thursday morning tee time and play in the year’s final major.