Tiger Woods WITHDRAWS from Safeway Open

After a week of anticipation, Tiger Woods decides against a return. 

Andy Roberts's picture
Tue, 11 Oct 2016

Just a week since revealing he was ready to return to the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods has decided to withdraw from this week's Safeway Open. 

The 14-time major champion has not played a competitive round of golf for 14 months due to multiple back surgeries. 

Woods, 40, was said to be hitting balls like "the Tiger of 15 years ago", according to close friend and PGA Tour veteran Jesper Parnevik. 

But the news the golf world dreaded most came to fruition late Monday afternoon. 

Woods wrote on his official website...

After a lot of soul searching and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA TOUR or compete in Turkey. My health is good, and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be. When I announced last week I was going to Safeway, I had every intention of playing, or I wouldn't have committed. I spent a week with the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, an honor and experience that inspired me even more to play. I practiced the last several days in California, but after a lot of hours, I knew I wasn't ready to compete against the best golfers in the world. I will continue to work hard, and plan to play at my foundation's event, the Hero World Challenge, in Albany. I would like to apologize and send my regrets to Safeway, the Turkish Airlines Open, the fans in California and Turkey and those that had hoped to watch me compete on TV. This isn't what I wanted to happen, but I will continue to strive to be able to play tournament golf. I'm close, and I won't stop until I get there. The Safeway Open marks the first event of the 2016/17 PGA Tour season. 

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