Tiger Woods Won't Participate in Players Championship Because of Back Injury

Tiger Woods will not take part in the 2020 Players Championship because of a back injury. 

The news was relayed by Golf Digest's Dan Rapaport, with Woods' agent confirming he will not be ready for the event, which starts on Thursday:

Woods was last in action at the Genesis Invitational last month, where he finished in a disappointing 68th position; the 15-time major champion finished poorly after a strong start, eventually posting an 11 over.

The only other time Woods has played in 2020 was at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he was tied for ninth.

After that poor weekend at the Genesis Invitational, Woods said his back was feeling stiff and that he felt run down after taking on hosting duties for the tournament.

As a result, he didn't play at the WGC-Mexico Invitational, and he will now be absent for The Players Championship, which is widely considered to be the most prestigious competition on the golfing calendar outside of the four major events.

Fans will be hopeful that the layoff is only a short-term one for Woods, with the Masters edging closer into view; the 2020 tournament gets underway on April 9.

The 44-year-old secured a memorable win at Augusta a year ago, ending an 11-year wait for a major success. Woods was able to don the iconic green jacket for a fifth time, holding off strong challenges from compatriots Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele.

Rory McIlroy will enter the Players Championship as the favourite for many, having won the event at Sawgrass a year ago and recently moving back to the top of the world rankings.