Tiger isn't out of the woods just yet.
Tiger Woods withdrew from the Masters citing a re-aggravation of his plantar fasciitis in his right foot, and just a few days later underwent ankle fusion surgery that cast doubt on him playing again in 2023.
To that end, just over a month removed from the surgery, it doesn't look like the golf great will be vying for his 16th major championship at the 2023 U.S. Open.
The USGA announced on Monday that Woods has officially withdrawn from the tournament, citing his recovery from the ankle surgery he underwent in April. Woods has played in 23 U.S. Open tournaments, winning three, with his last victory coming in 2008.
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Here's why Woods decided to withdraw nearly a month ahead of the year's third major championship:
Why isn't Tiger Woods playing in the U.S. Open?
Woods is still recovering from subtalar fusion surgery — essentially an ankle fusion — which may keep him out an extended period of time.
Woods has yet to comment on his withdrawal or update fans on when he may return to the golf course.
Recovery from an ankle fusion surgery can take up to three months, and Woods may want to slow-play his recovery to make sure he's 100 percent — or as close to being 100 percent as possible — before he retakes the course.
If Woods takes the full timeline to return, then he'll likely also miss the Open Championship, with the first round set to get underway on Thursday, July 20.
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Woods' surgery is the latest in a long line of injuries and setbacks he's had in the late stages of his career, with his surgically repaired right leg a recurring source of trouble in the wake of his 2021 car crash.
"I don't have much left in this leg," Woods said in late 2022.
Prior to the Masters, Woods acknowledged that physical limitations played into his recovery, with walking the most difficult part of a tournament weekend. Woods has a difficult path to walk away from the links in order to get back to it.
