Tiger Woods Drops Out of World Golf Rankings Top 1000 for 1st Time in His Career

Tiger Woods is not among the top 1,000 golfers on the planet for the first time in his career in the latest edition of the World Golf Rankings.

As reported by Will Gray of Golf Channel, new men's standings were released Monday, and the 41-year-old was in 1,005th position. Per Gray, when Woods attained his first amateur points in 1994, the lowest ranking he was attributed was 730.

Woods, a 14-time major champion, has previously scaled the top of the rankings. As noted by Gray, he spent a whopping 683 weeks of his professional career at the summit.

"But Woods has played just seven events in the current two-year ranking period and has accrued points in only three of those starts," continued the report. "He has not played since withdrawing from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February and has since undergone back fusion surgery and sought treatment for his use of pain medication."

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While injuries and loss of form have sapped any momentum on the course for Woods, away from it he's endured a tough spell too.

As reported by BBC Sport, earlier this year the golfer was arrested for driving under the influence in Florida. Woods suggested his condition came about as a result of "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications."

The news Woods has fallen out of the top 1,000 comes on the cusp of the British Open at Royal Birkdale, where the world's best golfers will gather in pursuit of the iconic Claret Jug. It's a tournament Woods has won three times, most recently in 2006 at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake.

Dustin Johnson, the world No. 1 in the latest rankings, is among the favourites for glory when the competition gets underway again in Merseyside on Thursday.