David Chao, MD: Tiger Woods Is Not Playing In The Masters

The 2022 Masters is just around the corner and Tiger Woods' injuries will not allow him to compete at Augusta or anywhere else anytime soon. When the accident first happened, it seemed clear that Woods would miss at least a year of PGA Tour golf and the anniversary of the crash has come and gone.

There is no official word as to Tiger's status but the medical analysis is clear. False hope was raised when he finished second with his son Charlie at the December PNC Championship which is a 36-hole best ball format with a cart. That is a far cry from competing in a major.

Woods has made a tremendous recovery from severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries. However, the goal of returning to a limited PGA Tour schedule is a ways off and he even admits that.

The number one thing people say after their first in person Augusta experience is how hilly the course is and how the terrain does not translate through on TV. Tiger says he "can walk on a treadmill all day. It’s straight, that’s easy. But walking on a golf course where there’s undulations, I have a long way to go. … Being in a cart, I can do that. But walking a golf course, that’s a totally different deal. I’ve got a long way to go.” There is no way he is playing in this upcoming major.

Woods is only three wins behind Jack Nicklaus' all-time majors record. Even if Tiger can recover from the leg/ankle injuries fully, he is past his prime at age 46 and has endured five back surgeries (including a fusion). It certainly seems the record is safe for now.