Tiger Woods to Miss U.S. Open: Will He Ever Catch Jack Nicklaus?

Tiger Woods is only four majors away from tying Jack Nicklaus' majors record. While it seemed inevitable that he would one day break the record, Woods is having the worst stretch of his career.

To make matters worse, he can't seem to stay on the course. Bogged down by injuries, Woods announced that he will be skipping the U.S. Open.

Tiger has battled injuries throughout his career, but he hasn't missed a U.S. Open since 1994.

Woods' majors drought will likely be snapped, but for the time being, he will watch his winless streak extend to 23 tournaments.

Now 15th in the world, we wonder what happened to the Tiger Woods who seemed unshakable. Once the face of golf, Woods is now a shadow of the player he once was.

Throwing himself into the U.S. Open field at less than 100 percent would probably be counterproductive. Even a completely healthy Woods could struggle. There is no point in bowing out mid-tournament again.

Woods pulling out of the U.S. Open isn't going to impact the course of his career, but it is an indication to just how bad his health may be. Are a string of injuries combined with poor play on the course going to define the way Woods' career ends.

Perhaps Woods needs only one win to regain his confidence. We see it all the time in baseball, when a player goes through a hitting slump. One home run can do wonders for a batter, and the same could apply here.

Woods' personal life has taken a huge blow, and his golf career has followed suit. He is rapidly aging, and for the time being, Nicklaus' record is perfectly safe.

Woods in the process of regathering himself. If he isn't healthy, there is no way he can do so, on or off the course.