Tiger Woods to skip open championship, extending major absence streak

Tiger Woods, the fifteen-time major champion, will not be participating in the upcoming Open Championship, making it his third consecutive major absence, according to an announcement by tournament organisers on Friday. Woods underwent ankle surgery in April after withdrawing early from The Masters, and as a result, he did not compete in the PGA Championship or this week's US Open.

Since sustaining severe leg injuries in a car crash in 2021, Woods has prioritised his participation in the four major championships. However, he is now set to miss his third consecutive major by not taking part in the 151st edition of the Open Championship, which will be held at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in England next month. An R&A spokesperson told CNN, "We have been advised that Tiger will not be playing at Royal Liverpool. We wish him all the best with his recovery."

No specific timeline has been provided for Woods' return to competitive action following his ankle surgery, which involved a "subtalar fusion procedure" to address post-traumatic arthritis in his ankle. Woods struggled with movement visibly even before The Masters and eventually withdrew during the third round due to a poor start and a reaggravation of a foot injury, plantar fasciitis.

After making a comeback from a 17-month absence from the sport, Woods missed only one major in 2022, namely the US Open. As a three-time Open Championship winner, Woods received an emotional farewell at the St. Andrews course during last year's tournament in Scotland, possibly marking his final appearance at the major event.