Tiger Woods will miss the upcoming Masters tournament for the first time in his professional career. Instead of driving down Magnolia Lane, Woods will be rehabing from the latest of at least a half-dozen surgeries. What follows is a partial list of the ailments which have helped derail Tiger's quest to break Jack Nicklaus' all-time record for major victories.
Associated Press
DECEMBER 2002
Woods has surgery to remove fluid from around the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his left knee. The surgery sidelines him a few weeks, but Woods wins in his first start back at the 2003 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines.
Associated Press
JULY 2007
Tiger ruptures the ACL in his left knee while running. He continued playing and won five of his last six tournaments, including the PGA Championship that year.
Associated Press
JUNE 2008
After playing through pain to claim the U.S. Open title at Torrey Pines, Woods has reconstructive surgery on the ACL in his left knee. During the surgery, further cartilage damage is repaired, and Woods does not return to action for nearly nine months.
Associated Press
MAY 2010
After missing the cut the week prior at the Wells Fargo Championship, Woods withdraws during the final round of The Players Championship, citing what he believes to be a potential bulging disk. The injury was later diagnosed as an inflamed facet joint in his neck. Woods does not miss a start, tying for 19th in his next appearance at The Memorial Tournament the following month.
Associated Press
MAY 2011
Tiger withdraws after nine holes at the Players Championship with a sprain of the MCL ligament in his left knee and a strain to the left Achilles' tendon. He misses three months of action, including both the U.S. Open and British Open.
Associated Press
AUGUST 2013
Woods suffered back pain during The Barclays FedEx Cup event, attributed to sleeping on a soft hotel bed. He managed to finish in a tie for second that weekend but was forced to pull out of a charity event several days later to rest his ailing back.
Associated Press
MARCH 2014
Woods withdraws on the 13th green in the final round of the Honda Classic, citing lower back spasms. The issue was similar to what Woods experienced during last year’s Barclays, when he fell to his knees in pain during the final round en route to a runner-up finish. Woods eventually decides to undergo surgery for a pinched nerve in his back, forcing him to miss the Masters for the first time since he was a senior in high school.