Tiger Woods Injury Update: Golf Star Will Not Compete in 2016 US Open

On Tuesday, Tiger Woods announced in a statement on his website that he will not play in the U.S. Open or the Quicken Loans National this season.

The full statement:

"

While I continue to work hard on getting healthy, I am not physically ready to play in this year's U.S. Open and the Quicken Loans National. I am making progress, but I'm not yet ready for tournament competition.

I want to thank everyone for their continued support. The positive texts, emails and calls I have received have been incredible. I want to wish Mike Davis, Diana Murphy, the USGA, the players and everyone at Oakmont a very successful week.

I will be hosting and attending my foundation's tournament, the Quicken Loans National, at Congressional. It's the 10th year of our tournament, and we continue to support the community, the military and the programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation.

"

This keeps alive questions over whether Woods, 40, will ever be an elite golfer again—which seems increasingly unlikely—and if he will even continue to compete at all. He last played in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015, tying for 10th place.

Since then, he's remained largely out of the public eye. As Cameron Morfit of Golf.com noted: "As for actual sightings, they've been rare since Quicken Loans media day at Congressional on May 16, when a visibly stiff Woods, with nothing on the line but pride, rinsed three consecutive wedge shots from 102 yards and called it a day."

Jack Nicklaus doesn't believe Woods is done yet.

"I think Tiger will be back," he said, per Morfit. "I think Tiger would have liked to have played this week. He's just not ready."

Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles no longer seems in danger of being surpassed by Woods, who hasn't won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open—his 14th major triumph. The possibility—however slim—that Woods might have a final, dominant run still makes him compelling, of course.

But golf is no longer yearning for the return of an elite Woods. Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day have established themselves as the game's new superstars, and Woods has become more of a curiosity than an obsession.

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