Tiger Woods plans for Championship field confi….

Tiger Woods will not participate in this month’s TPC Sawgrass The Players Championship. With The Masters just one month away, many people expected the golf icon to compete in the 50th edition of the prestigious competition.

Two-time winner of the tournament in 2001 and 2013, Woods announced in December that he plans to compete in one tournament every month while he continues to treat his back and ankle issues and makes a comeback. Illness caused him to leave the Genesis Invitational last month after just 24 holes.

The Players Championship appeared to be the most sensible option for him to make a comeback, particularly after he declined to participate in this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. When speaking about his possible 2024 schedule back in December, Tiger Woods specifically brought up the tournament. Additionally, it seemed that Woods and his former Team USA Ryder Cup partner, Steve Stricker, were planned to visit Sawgrass specifically this week.

Stricker expressed his interest in attempting to get Woods to participate in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in an interview with Golf Digest. “You know, I’ll see him next week at the Players, hopefully he’ll be there and I’ll be there, hopefully play a practice round with him,” Stricker said. Sure, I will ask him.

Woods’ conspicuous absence from the 144-player field for the forthcoming tournament, which begins on Thursday, March 14 and has a massive $25 million reward, seems to have changed those plans. The considerably more low-key Valspar Championship the next week would be Woods’ next opportunity to go back on the field and compete before The Masters.

Prior to the start of the year’s first major at Augusta on April 11, the PGA Tour also hosts the Houston Open and Valero Texas Open. Speaking at the end of 2023, Woods—who did make a comeback to the course earlier this week in the Seminole Pro-Member—detailed his plans to play only majors and occasionally significant events, mentioning The Players Championship.