Woods out awhile with injury

Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

Tiger Woods has a minor injury to his left knee and Achilles’ tendon that will keep him out of the Wells Fargo Championship next week, raising more questions that his health might be the biggest obstacle in his chase of Jack Nicklaus’ record.

Woods said on his website Tuesday that he hurt himself hitting a shot during the third round of the Masters. It’s the fourth time he has missed a tournament because of his left knee. Woods did not say when he might return, but he hopes to be back in a few weeks.

“This is precautionary. We’re not at all concerned,” said Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG. “He’s just listening to his doctors, which is kind of nice. He certainly didn’t listen to them before the U.S. Open in 2008.”

Woods won that U.S. Open in a playoff for his 14th major. He hasn’t won a major since then, leaving him four behind the record 18 professional majors won by Nicklaus.

Steinberg said Woods has been in a protective boot when he’s moving around and has not hit a shot since the Masters. He said Woods considered playing the Wells Fargo until Tuesday.

Woods won at Quail Hollow in 2007 and had not finished worse than 11th in four appearances until a year ago when he missed the cut with his highest 36-hole score.

The following week is The Players Championship, which Woods won in 2001, although it is not among his favorite courses. He has finished in the top 10 only four times in 13 appearances and withdrew from the final round a year ago with a neck injury.

Steinberg said there was a “reasonable chance” Woods will be at The Players Championship.

“We’ll do the same next week, do an early to midweek test to see if it’s good enough where he can be hitting the ball,” he said.

Woods described this injury as minor — a mild sprain of his medial collateral ligament in the left knee, along with a mild strain to his left Achilles. Woods said the injury occurred when he had to squat to play a shot from under the Eisenhower tree left of the 17th fairway.

His left foot got caught in the pine straw as the momentum of the swing carried him backward. Woods hit into a front bunker and saved par on his way to a 74, then shot 31 on the front nine Sunday to tie for the lead. He wound up tied for fourth, and he appeared to be limping coming to the 18th green.

Woods, who held a series of clinics in Asia the week after the Masters, said he later sought a medical evaluation. He said doctors have advised rest and cold-water therapy, along with soft tissue treatment.

“I personally contacted tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play,” Woods said. “This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors’ orders to get better.”

Woods also missed Quail Hollow in 2006 when his father died and in 2008 while recovering from knee surgery.