Tiger Woods will not play Arnold Palmer Invitational, putting Masters start in doubt

Tiger Woods, not seen in competition since he withdrew from early February’s Farmers Insurance Open, will not play at next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. As he often does, Tiger made the announcement on his own website.

Woods said his game is still not “tournament ready,” which was the goal of his current hiatus. And he did not yet rule out a start at the Masters, which is less than four weeks away.

I’ve put in a lot of time and work on my game and I’m making strides, but like I’ve said, I won’t return to the PGA TOUR until my game is tournament ready and I can compete at the highest level.

I hope to be ready for the Masters, and I will continue to work hard preparing for Augusta.

Woods did not commit to what would likely have been his only tuneup ahead of the Masters in less than a month. Skipping Arnie’s tourney for the second consecutive year bodes ill for a Tiger sighting at Augusta, though nothing is certain in Woods’ world these days.

Barring an unexpected ad-hoc appearance by the 14-time major champion at the Valero Texas Open or Shell Houston Open -- the two remaining events on the calendar between Bay Hill and Augusta -- Tiger will not know whether his game and health (physical and mental) are tournament-ready ahead of the Masters’ April 9 start. If his year to date is any indication, signs do not point to a 15th major title for the former world No. 1.

In just one-plus event in 2015, following a lengthy layoff after he missed the cut at the PGA Championship in August, Woods carded a career-worst 82 and missed the cut in Phoenix and then withdrew with more back pain midway through his first round at Torrey Pines. After adding that horrific start to the abysmal short game he displayed at the Hero World Challenge in December, Tiger announced he would take an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour to work on his skills.

And here we are again, just as we were last year at this time, with Augusta just up the road and no idea where the golfer formerly known as Tiger Woods is headed. Bay Hill has always been locked into his schedule. It’s a course he has owned throughout his career and a place he has always gone to get his game right in advance of the Masters.

Missing a chance to win for the ninth time at Arnie’s place certainly does not answer any questions about what comes next for the 79th-ranked golfer in the world.