Three days after committing to the Safeway Open, Tiger Woods suddenly withdrew.
The 2016-17 PGA Tour opener that begins Thursday at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa was supposed to be Woods’ first event in a little more than 14 months after two procedures on his back.
“After a lot of soul searching and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA Tour or compete in Turkey,” Woods said in a statement on his website, adding that he also will not play in the Turkish Airlines Open on Nov. 3-6. “My health is good, and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be.
“When I announced last week I was going to Safeway, I had every intention of playing, or I wouldn’t have committed. I spent a week with the U.S. Ryder Cup team, an honor and experience that inspired me even more to play. I practiced the last several days in California, but after a lot of hours, I knew I wasn’t ready to compete against the best golfers in the world.
“I would like to apologize and send my regrets to Safeway, the Turkish Airlines Open, the fans in California and Turkey and those that had hoped to watch me compete on TV.”
Woods said he will continue to work on his game and that he plans to play in the Hero World Challenge, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, on Dec. 1-4 at Albany Resort in the Bahamas.
The withdrawal was a blow to the Safeway Open, which said tickets sales were up 30,000 over last year with Woods and Phil Mickelson in the field.
“Obviously I wish Tiger the best,” tournament host Johnny Miller told Golf Channel. “Everybody was so excited in the golf world and here in Northern California. I know there is a lot of pressure on Tiger after 14 months in being away from professional golf. The expectation and nervous level has got to be almost like when he played in his first L.A. Open when he was a kid.
“It is hard being Tiger Woods. It really is. Especially if he can’t back it up with semblance of the old Tiger Woods. And everybody expects him to come back and play like he did in the year 2000. That is just not going to happen. He has got to break the ice sometime. I hope he picks the right spot.”
Woods hasn’t played since he tied for 10th in the 2015 Wyndham Championship.
