Tiger Woods withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Monday because of a “neck strain.”
In a tweet sent at 2:23 p.m. ET, Woods said, “Unfortunately due to a neck strain that I’ve had for a few weeks, I’m forced to withdraw from the API. I’ve been receiving treatment, but it hasn’t improved enough to play.”
Woods went on to explain that his lower back, which he had fusion surgery on in April 2018, is “fine” and that he doesn’t have any “long-term concerns.”
1) Unfortunately due to a neck strain that I’ve had for a few weeks, I'm forced to withdraw from the API. I’ve been receiving treatment, but it hasn't improved enough to play. My lower back is fine, and I have no long-term concerns, and I hope to be ready for The Players.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 4, 2019
2) I'd like to send my regrets to the Palmer family and the Orlando fans. Its connection to Arnold makes it one of my favorite tournaments and I'm disappointed to miss it.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) March 4, 2019
He also said he “hopes” to be able to play next week’s Players Championship and that he’s been receiving treatment on his neck.
Woods is an eight-time winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and he tied for fifth place at Bay Hill last year, his first start at the event since 2013.
“We know Tiger would be here if he could and we look forward to having him return in the future,” said API tournament director Marci Doyle. “We have a great field and we are looking forward to a tremendous week.”
Following his tie for 10th place last month at the WGC-Mexico Championship, Woods said he planned to “do a little bit of practicing,” and “a lot of training and try and be ready for the next couple weeks.”
Woods is in the middle of a particularly busy stretch that included the Genesis Open (which he hosts) immediately followed by the World Golf Championships event in Mexico. It remains to be seen if he will play the Valspar Championship, where he finished T-2 last year, and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play before the Masters.
He also sent his regrets to the Palmer family for having to miss this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“Its connection to Arnold makes it one of my favorite tournaments and I’m disappointed to miss it,” he tweeted.