Tiger Woods withdraws from PGA Tour event with side strain

Struggling with his game and his ailing body, Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust event because of a “mild oblique strain that led to pain and stiffness.”

The 43-year-old, who came back from spinal fusion surgery in 2017, looked a shadow of the player who won the Masters in April as he carded a first-round 75 at Liberty National Thursday.

Continuing where he left off after missing the cut at the British Open, Woods appeared stiff and out of sorts and withdrew with a side strain ahead of the second round in New Jersey.

“I went for treatment early Friday morning, but unfortunately I’m still unable to compete,” he said in a statement.

“I’d like to thank the New Jersey and New York fans for their support and remain hopeful I can compete next week at the BMW Championship.”

READ: Woods admits back still a problem and yearns for ‘hot weeks’

Tiger Woods clinched his fifth Masters and 15th major title with victory at Augusta in April.

The former world No. 1 had not won the Masters since 2005, and it was his first major win since 2008.

A month after winning the Masters, Woods received the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Donald Trump.

Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship in September 2018. It was his first title in five years following a succession of back injuries.

Signs that Woods was back to his best were obvious at August's PGA Championship, where he finished runner-up to Brooks Koepka. It followed an impressive showing at July's British Open, where he briefly topped the leaderboard.

Woods made an impressive return to competitive golf in 2018 after multiple back surgeries in recent years. He played his first Masters in three years in April 2018.

The four-time champion had back fusion surgery -- his fourth procedure -- in April 2017 and returned to the game pain-free in December. He finished tied 32nd at Augusta.

Woods was touted as one of the favorites after impressing in his early-season events. He also set tongues wagging by playing a practice round with old rival Phil Mickelson, right.

Woods finished tied second at the Valspar Championship in March 2018 and followed it up with a tie for fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. The hype needle moved into overdrive.

Woods set out on his legendary path by becoming the youngest winner of the Masters -- at 21 -- with a record 12-shot win in 1997.

One of his most remarkable feats was winning his first US Open by an unprecedented 15 shots at Pebble Beach, California, in 2000, sparking a streak never seen before or since.

Woods' victory in the 2001 Masters meant he held all four of golf's major titles at the same time, dubbed the "Tiger Slam."

Woods' win rate, his dedication to fitness training and his desire to succeed were changing golf. Prize money rocketed because of Woods. Off the course, he married girlfriend Elin Nordegren in 2004.

Woods showed rare emotion when he broke down in tears on the shoulder of caddie Steve Williams following his win in the 2006 British Open at Hoylake, months after his father and mentor Earl passed away.

Despite being visibly hampered and in pain from a knee injury, Woods won the US Open in breathtaking fashion at Torrey Pines, California, in 2008. It was his 14th major title to leave him only four behind the record of Jack Nicklaus. He was later diagnosed with knee ligament damage and two fractures of his left tibia. He missed the rest of the season after surgery. It is still his last major title.

In December 2009, Woods crashed his car into a fire hydrant outside his home. As the big picture emerged it was discovered Woods had been conducting a series of extra martial affairs. He took three months away from the game to sort out his private life.

In February 2010 Woods addressed the world's media to explain and apologise for his actions. His infidelity led to divorce and was the beginning of a downhill slide in Woods' playing career. By October he lost the world No. 1 ranking, a position he had held for 281 consecutive weeks

Back in the fold, Woods earned his first win in two years at the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011, a charity tournament he hosts that does not count on the PGA Tour money list.

Woods was back in the winner's circle in 2013, lifting five titles, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational, to get back to the top of the rankings.

In March 2013, Woods and Lindsey Vonn announced they were dating on Facebook. In January that year, the champion skier had finalized her divorce from Thomas Vonn, after initializing proceedings in 2011. In May 2015, Woods and Vonn announced their breakup, with the golfer claiming he "hadn't slept" in the days following.

Later in 2013 there were signs all was not well as Woods was seen to be in pain as he picked the ball out of the hole at the Barclays tournament in August. He missed the Masters the following April for the first time since 1994 to undergo back surgery.

Woods pulled out of the Farmers Insurance Open in February 2015, and struggled with injury and form for the rest of the season.

Woods cut a dejected figure at that year's US Open as he struggled with his game and carded rounds of 80 and 76 to miss the cut.

In August 2015 Woods made his last appearance for 15 months to undergo follow-up back surgeries. At one stage during his rehabilitation, Woods spoke of there being "no light at the end of the tunnel" -- and with one eye on his fading career, he suggested "everything beyond this will be gravy."

Woods made a much-anticipated return to golf in December 2016, showing signs of promise with the highest number of birdies in the field -- 24 -- but he also made a number of costly errors to finish third from last in the 18-man event.

He missed the cut in his first event of 2017 in the US and pulled out after the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic in February, citing back spasms. He underwent a fourth back prodecure in April.

The golf legend was arrested Monday, May 29, on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was booked into a local jail in Florida and released a few hours later. He said in a statement he had "an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications."

In August Woods entered a first-offender program and pleaded guilty to reckless driving on October 28. He will avoid jail unless he commits major violations of his probation.

Woods returned to golf after 301 days at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on November 30 2017. He carded a three-under first-round 69 and appeared pain-free and hungry to resume his career.

Tiger Woods: From highs to lows

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‘Things are different’

Woods cut short his pro-am practice round Wednesday, and said of his back after his ending four over Thursday: “It’s a little bit stiff, yeah, but that’s just the way it’s going to be.”

He added of his game: “It was just off. I was just trying to feel it, trying to find it, and then could never get it.”

Woods has played only four tournaments since winning that remarkable 15th major title, and first in 11 years, at Augusta.

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The former world No.1 missed the cut in the PGA Championship, tied ninth at the Memorial tournament, was tied 21st in the US Open and failed to make the weekend at the Open.

At Royal Portrush, his verdict on another disappointing display was that his ailing body – after four major back surgeries – was still a hindrance and would only allow him to practice and perform intermittently.

“Things are different. I’m going to have my hot weeks, I’m going to be there in contention with the chance to win and I will win tournaments, but there are times when I’m just not going to be there and that wasn’t the case 20-something odd years ago when I had a different body and I was able to be a bit more consistent,” he told reporters.

The Northern Trust is the first of the three Fed Ex Cup playoff events, culminating in the Tour Championship, which Woods won last year for his first title since 2013 after making an impressive recovery from long-term back problems.

READ: Woods’ Masters win has Nicklaus ‘shaking in my boots’

Woods is just four major titles adrift of Jack Nicklaus’ record and one win behind Sam Snead’s mark of 82 PGA Tour victories.